Google Classroom as a Teaching Tool for Undergraduate Embryology

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anatomy
• Embryology

Background:

• Modern medical education increasingly utilizes online learning management systems (LMSs).
• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital education delivery.
• General embryology (GE) is a foundational anatomy subject suitable for online learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate Google Classroom (GC) as a tool for delivering undergraduate general embryology (GE) courses.
• To assess student learning outcomes and user experience with GC for GE education.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 211 Indian undergraduate medical students.
• A pre- and post-quiz model assessed learning after five YouTube video lectures on GC.
• Student feedback on gadget preference and learning experience was collected.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in quiz scores and perceived confidence in GE were observed.
• A high student attrition rate of 74.8% was noted.
• GC received a user-friendliness score of 4.3/5, with 83.7% preferring mobile access.

Conclusions:

• Google Classroom presents challenges for online GE teaching due to limitations in assessment and interaction.
• While user-friendly, GC's current features may not be optimal for complex subjects like embryology.
• Future software updates could enhance GC's utility as an LMS for medical education.