Demographic data
The demographics of the study participants are shown in Table 2. Of the 280 participants, 117 (41.79%) were female and 163 (58.21%) were male. The average age of the participants was 21 years old. 66(23.57%) were aged from 18 to 20 years, 167 (59.64%) were aged from 21 to 23 years, and 47 (16.79%) were aged at least 24 years. The distribution of online teaching countries during the epidemic is as follows: 9 (3.21%) students were in China, 259(92.5%) students were in India, 10(3.57%) were in Bangladesh, and 2(0.71%) were in Indonesia.
Table 1 MBBS online course setting and credits for 2020
Course Name
|
Course Type
|
Course Credits
|
Curriculum Semester
|
Class Information
|
Introduction of China
|
Public Elementary Course
|
2
|
Spring semester
|
2019MBBS
|
Chinese
|
Public Elementary Course
|
8
|
Spring and Autumn semester
|
2019MBBS 2018MBBS
2017MBBS
|
Physical Education
|
Public Elementary Course
|
8
|
Spring and Autumn semester
|
2019MBBS
|
Cell Biology
|
Basic Subject Course
|
4
|
Spring semester
|
2019MBBS
|
Human Anatomy
|
Basic Subject Course
|
7.5
|
Spring semester
|
2019MBBS
|
Histology and Embryology
|
Basic Subject Course
|
5
|
Autumn semester
|
2019MBBS
|
Medical Biochemistry
|
Basic Subject Course
|
7.5
|
Autumn semester
|
2019MBBS
|
Human Physiology
|
Basic Subject Course
|
7.5
|
Autumn semester
|
2019MBBS
|
Pathophysiology
|
Basic Subject Course
|
4
|
Spring semester
|
2018MBBS
|
Medical Immunology
|
Basic Subject Course
|
3.5
|
Spring semester
|
2018MBBS
|
Medical Statistics
|
Basic Subject Course
|
4.5
|
Spring semester
|
2018MBBS
|
Human Parasitology
|
Basic Subject Course
|
3
|
Autumn semester
|
2018MBBS
|
Medical Microbiology
|
Basic Subject Course
|
4.5
|
Autumn semester
|
2018MBBS
|
Pathology
|
Basic Subject Course
|
6.5
|
Autumn semester
|
2018MBBS
|
Pathophysiology
|
Basic Subject Course
|
4
|
Autumn semester
|
2018MBBS
|
Pharmacology
|
Basic Subject Course
|
4.5
|
Autumn semester
|
2018MBBS
|
Public Health
|
Basic Subject Course
|
3
|
Spring semester
|
2017MBBS
|
Epidemiology
|
Basic Subject Course
|
2
|
Spring semester
|
2017MBBS
|
Diagnostics
|
Major Course
|
6
|
Spring semester
|
2017MBBS
|
Medical Imaging
|
Major Course
|
3
|
Spring semester
|
2017MBBS
|
Medical Chinese
|
Public Elementary Course
|
8
|
Spring and Autumn semester
|
2017MBBS
2016MBBS
2015MBBS
|
Regional Anatomy
|
Basic Subject Course
|
3.5
|
Autumn semester
|
2017MBBS
|
Traditional Chinese Medicine
|
Major Course
|
4
|
Autumn semester
|
2017MBBS
|
Drug Toxicology
|
Basic Subject Course
|
1
|
Autumn semester
|
2017MBBS
|
Basical Surgery
|
Major Course
|
3.5
|
Autumn semester
|
2017MBBS
|
Internal Medicine I
|
Major Course
|
6.5
|
Autumn semester
|
2017MBBS
|
Internal Medicine II
|
Major Course
|
6
|
Spring semester
|
2016MBBS
|
Surgery I
|
Major Course
|
4
|
Spring semester
|
2016MBBS
|
Obstetrics and Gynecology
|
Major Course
|
6
|
Spring semester
|
2016MBBS
|
Pediatrics
|
Major Course
|
4
|
Spring semester
|
2016MBBS
|
Medical Psychology
|
Major Course
|
1
|
Autumn semester
|
2016MBBS
|
Medical Ethics
|
Major Course
|
1
|
Autumn semester
|
2016MBBS
|
Social Medicine
|
Major Course
|
1
|
Autumn semester
|
2016MBBS
|
Forensic Medicine
|
Major Course
|
1
|
Autumn semester
|
2016MBBS
|
Surgery II
|
Major Course
|
4
|
Autumn semester
|
2016MBBS
|
Dermatology & Venereal
|
Major Course
|
3
|
Autumn semester
|
2016MBBS
|
Psychiatry
|
Major Course
|
2
|
Autumn semester
|
2016MBBS
|
Nuclear Medicine
|
Major Course
|
1
|
Spring semester
|
2015MBBS
|
Neurology
|
Major Course
|
2.5
|
Spring semester
|
2015MBBS
|
Ophthalmology
|
Major Course
|
1
|
Spring semester
|
2015MBBS
|
Otolaryngology
|
Major Course
|
1
|
Spring semester
|
2015MBBS
|
Stomatology
|
Major Course
|
1
|
Spring semester
|
2015MBBS
|
Infectious Diseases
|
Major Course
|
2
|
Spring semester
|
2015MBBS
|
Table 2 Basic characteristics of the MBBS students during the epidemic (n=280)
Characteristics
|
n
|
Percent (%)
|
Gender
|
|
|
Male
|
163
|
58.21
|
Female
|
117
|
41.79
|
Age, years
|
|
|
<20
|
66
|
23.57
|
21~23
|
167
|
59.64
|
≥24
|
47
|
16.79
|
Country during online teaching
|
|
|
China
|
9
|
3.21
|
India
|
259
|
92.50
|
Bangladesh
|
10
|
3.57
|
Indonesia
|
2
|
0.71
|
Evaluation of online teaching
Table 3 shows the condition for online learning. 72 (25.71%) studentsconsidered their hardware equipped was good and the network is relatively smooth. 168 (60%) students rated their hardware and network as average. 29 (10.36%) students believed their hardware was well-equipped but the network was not smooth. Only 11 (3.93%) students thought they had single equipment and poor network. In terms of online learning environment, 174 (65.13%) students had quiet and comfortable environment which was suitable for learning.89 (31.78%) students had basically quiet environment with occasional noise interference.13 (4.64%) students were frequently disturbed by family members or other noise. With only 4 (1.43%) students, the surrounding environment was chaotic and noisy.
Table 3 Condition for online teaching (n=280)
Statements
|
Very good frequency (%)
|
Generally frequency (%)
|
Poor frequency (%)
|
Not good frequency (%)
|
Hardware equipment and network
|
72 (25.71)
|
168 (60.00)
|
29 (10.36)
|
11 (3.93)
|
Environment
|
174 (65.13)
|
89 (31.78)
|
13 (4.64)
|
4 (1.43)
|
Table 4 showsthe ranking of factors influencing students' online learning by course teachers.The results showed that the top first pick wasKnowledge level (32.1%), the most popular second pick was Teaching methods (31.1%), the most popular third pick was Class attitude (23.2%), the top fourth pick was Interaction with students (22.5%), the top fifth pick was English proficiency (24.6%), the top sixth pick was homework correction (24.6%), and the top seventh pick was Pre-class guidance (31.1%).
Table 4 is uploaded in Supplementary File 1
As for online learning, 15% of the students were very focused and undisturbed by other factors. 61.79% of the students were concentrate most of time and get distracted occasionally. However, 20.71% of the students were inattentiveand easily affected by other factors and 2.5% of the students were unable to concentrate and basically didn’t listen to the teacher(Table 5).
Table 5 Student concentration in online courses (n=280)
|
n
|
Percent (%)
|
High
|
42
|
15.00
|
Medium
|
173
|
61.79
|
Poor
|
65
|
|
Table 6 shows that 85.36% of the students had a positive attitude towards online teaching and 14.64% have a negative attitude.
Table 6 Students attitude towards online courses (n=280)
Attitude
|
n
|
Percent (%)
|
Positive
|
239
|
85.36
|
Negative
|
41
|
14.64
|
In terms of students' satisfaction with the effect of online teaching, table 7 shows the results of χ2 analyses examining the relationship between relevant factors and teaching effect. The results showed that evaluation of the teacher had no significant association with teaching effect (p>0.05). However, other variable (teaching attitude, teacher-student interaction, learning effect and online teachingmanagement) appeared to be associated with teaching effect (all p<0.05).
Table 7 Satisfaction of online teaching effect
Measures
|
Satisfaction of online teaching effect
|
χ2
|
P
|
Yes (n,%)
|
No (n,%)
|
Teaching attitude
|
|
|
|
|
High
|
146(52.14)
|
3(1.07)
|
15.517
|
0.000
|
Medium
|
118(42.14)
|
6(2.14)
|
Poor
|
4(1.43)
|
3(1.07)
|
Teacher-student interaction
|
|
|
|
|
High
|
145(51.79)
|
10(3.57)
|
7.413
|
0.025
|
Medium
|
101(36.07)
|
14(5.00)
|
Poor
|
7(2.50)
|
3(1.07)
|
Evaluation of the teacher
|
|
|
|
|
High
|
187(66.78)
|
4(1.43)
|
5.849
|
0.054
|
Medium
|
81(28.93)
|
3(1.07)
|
Poor
|
4(1.43)
|
1(0.36)
|
Learning effect
|
|
|
|
|
High
|
118(42.14)
|
5(1.79)
|
6.493
|
0.039
|
Medium
|
141(50.36)
|
8(2.85)
|
Poor
|
6(2.14)
|
2(0.71)
|
Management of online teaching
|
|
|
|
|
High
|
174(62.14)
|
9(3.21)
|
8.718
|
0.013
|
Medium
|
86(30.71)
|
5(1.79)
|
Poor
|
4(1.43)
|
2(0.71)
|
Students considered the advantages of online teaching are as follows:they can better acquire extracurricular knowledge (22.5%), and it is able to make full use of their study time (48.93%). It is easier to communicate between classmates and teachers (16.07%) which is conducive to family learning and supervision (21.43%). Most of the students felt that online teaching enhanced the enthusiasm of independent learning (52.86%) (Table 8). In addition, the students also pointed out disadvantages of online teaching, including the followingreasons:31.43% of students could not adapt toonline teaching methods and 74.64% of students considered that there was no classroom atmosphere. 43.93% of students felt that online teaching lacked external supervisionand learning efficiencywas low. The online learning process might be interrupted due to external factors (52.86%) and online studying affected students’ daily life (11.79%) (Table 9).
Table 8 Benefits of online teaching
Statements
|
n
|
Percent (%)
|
Better access to extracurricular knowledge
|
63
|
22.5
|
Able to make full use of their time to learn
|
137
|
48.93
|
It is easier to communicate between classmates and teachers
|
45
|
16.07
|
Conducive
|
60
|
21.43
|
Enhancing the enthusiasm of independent learning
|
148
|
52.86
|
Table 9 Disadvantages of online teaching
Statements
|
n
|
Percent (%)
|
Inability to adapt to online teaching methods
|
88
|
31.43
|
No classroom atmosphere
|
209
|
74.64
|
Lack of external supervision and low learning efficiency
|
123
|
43.93
|
The learning process may be interrupted due to external factors
|
148
|
52.86
|
Affect daily life
|
33
|
11.79
|