How to create a successful mobile learning strategy for medical education during lockdowns?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Educational Technology
• Digital Learning

Background:

• Mobile learning has become vital in medical education, particularly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Medical institutions recognize mobile learning as an effective strategy for current and future educational challenges.
• This study explores expert perspectives on designing mobile learning strategies in medical education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and demonstrate the core principles for designing effective mobile learning strategies in medical education.
• To gather insights from experts on best practices for implementing mobile learning in medical contexts.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative content analysis was employed.
• Data collection involved semi-structured interviews with twelve experts from Iranian medical universities between July 2022 and February 2023.
• Data analysis followed Granheim and Lundman's (2004) method.

Main Results:

• The study identified eight categories and one overarching theme: "the principles of medical education design in mobile learning."
• Key principles include pedagogical components, interactive design, effective analysis, objective achievement via mobile platforms, micro- and interactive e-content generation, interactive teaching-learning methods, and interactive evaluation.
• Participants emphasized the pedagogical component and interactive design as paramount.

Conclusions:

• The findings highlight eight essential principles for mobile learning design in medical education, with a strong emphasis on pedagogical and interactive elements.
• Implementing robust mobile learning strategies can enhance the quality of medical education, particularly in situations with limited physical presence.
• Expert consensus underscores the importance of a well-designed mobile learning strategy for future medical training.