Online Adaptation of Community-Based Teaching and Assessment in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Student Feedback...

Community-based teaching (CBT) is a crucial component of medical education that develops a comprehensive understanding of health and disease. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, online adaptation of CBT and its assessment was required to ensure the continuation of teaching while maintaining physical distancing. After the pandemic, the online and blended learning modes are being increasingly adopted in medical education. It is likely that a similar mode of teaching and assessment may continue in the near future. The students' feedback can help in improving the system for acceptability and usability. In this study, we have documented the process of conducting online CBT and its assessment for Urban Health Posting (UHP) in Community Medicine and the feedback from medical students regarding the online adaptation.

The existing activities under the UHP were converted into suitable online activities, and an online assessment was conducted. A total of 58 students from three consecutive batches posted for UHP participated in the study. Feedback was obtained by using structured Google Forms (Google LLC, Menlo Park, California, United States), having both closed- and open-ended questions. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, United States), and results were summarized as percentages. Thematic analysis was conducted for open-ended responses.  Results: The majority (n=49), i.e., 84.4%, of students were satisfied with the online adaptation of CBT. They found it convenient, time-efficient, and engaging. Lack of immersive experience was cited as a major limitation. Access to the internet and its cost were also identified as challenges. Twenty-nine (50%) students faced problems in the online assessment, viz., inadequate time, poor internet connectivity, and difficulty in navigation. The support provided during the assessment was appreciated.

The online adaptation was convenient and engaging, but lacked field experience. Suggestions to improve online assessment included a user-friendly layout, adequate time, detailed feedback, and anti-cheating measures.