https://doi.org/10.69107/koomesh-149342

Examining the Attitude of Health Students Toward Virtual Education During the Corona Pandemic Period

authors:

avatar Mohammad Ezati Asar ORCID 1 , avatar Elahe Saleh ORCID 1 , avatar Hamidreza Nassehinia ORCID 2 , avatar Mohammadreza Ghaneapur ORCID 3 , *

Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan ,Iran
Koomesh: Vol.26, issue 2; e149342
published online: November 16, 2024
article type: Research Article

how to cite: Ezati Asar M, Saleh E, Nassehinia H, Ghaneapur M. Examining the Attitude of Health Students Toward Virtual Education During the Corona Pandemic Period. koomesh. 2024;26(2):e149342. https://doi.org/10.69107/koomesh-149342.

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to myriad challenges, particularly in the realm of education. Virtual education, an area that was not seriously considered by education authorities and students before the spread of the coronavirus, has become a significant subject of interest.
Objectives: The present research was conducted with the aim of examining the attitudes of health science students at Semnan University of Medical Sciences towards virtual education during the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2021.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 83 health science students at Semnan University of Medical Sciences were enrolled during the first semester of the academic year 2021-2022 using a convenient and accessible sampling method. All participants completed a conscious satisfaction questionnaire and the "Assessment of Students' Attitudes towards Virtual Education" questionnaire, which is reliable and valid. The research data were analyzed using SPSS-27 software.
Results: Over 70% of the students believed that virtual education is not a suitable substitute for traditional education, including in-person teaching and interactions with the instructor in a physical classroom. Although married students had a positive attitude towards virtual education, unmarried students held a significantly more negative attitude (p-value=0.028). Additionally, married participants attributed more importance to virtual education compared to unmarried individuals (p-value=0.028).
Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that virtual education is not a suitable replacement for traditional education. Considering that virtual education requires numerous facilities, its effectiveness will be challenging until the necessary infrastructure is provided. Further studies in this regard are recommended.