PECULIARITIES OF DISTANCE LEARNING AT THE DEPARTMENT OF THE CHILDREN’S DISEASES WITH PEDIATRIC SURGERY OF I. HORBACHEVSKY TERNOPIL NATIONAL MEDICAL UNIVERSITY (ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF THE STUDENTS SURVEY)

Abstract

Distance learning technologies have become an integral part of the educational process of the current generation of teachers and students, including in medical universities of Ukraine, under difficult anti-pandemic conditions, which led to the direction of this study, namely, the analysis of the medical students opinion on the use of distance learning in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Purpose of research: to analyze the results of anonymous online questionnaires of the 2–3 years students of the Medical Faculty TNMU, to justify their expectations in relation to the quality of distance learning of pediatric disciplines, which will assess the online teaching format from the perspective of students. To achieve this goal, an anonymous online questionnaire of domestic 2–3 years students (n=42) of the Medical Faculty TNMU was conducted using the Google Form platform. Analysis and synthesis of the results of anonymous online questionnaire found a different level of assessment (from 1 to 10 points) such component as the justification of their own expectations about the quality of training in distance format – interquartile distribution was 9.0 points, but the quality of improving their own practical competencies – only 6.0 points. The most common proposal to improve the quality of education, according to students of 2–3 years of the Medical Faculty TNMU, is to increase opportunities for practical skills and professional competencies that are studied. The vast majority of 2–3 year students of TNMU Medical Faculty consider that it is a positive experience of distance learning, considering it as an opportunity for continuous self-development and independent deepening of the theoretical knowledge base, considering it convenient and accessible, individualized, transparent with independent assessment. Corresponding students believe that distance learning of pediatric disciplines can be adapted to complement the classroom form, but not an independent form of education, as the specifics of the medical profession is need to learn and improve practical skills and competencies. Distance learning technologies in the system of higher medical education are actual nowadays and should be constantly improved through the using of modern digital educational platforms, high-quality methodological content of web-resources, introduction of an effective quality control system to facilitate adaptation to new realities of educational process and to ensure high quality education.