The statistical analysis was done using R version 3.5.3. The average CSF awareness and usage were calculated with confident intervals. Pearson’s Chi-square test statistics were checked for statistical differences between genders. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to determine the connection, if any between CSF awareness and exam performance. The trend in the awareness of CSF between academic years was checked using the Generalized linear model.
Description of the study sample
We distributed 287 questionnaires and 261 (90.9%) students responded. There were 181 (69.3%) female students in the sample. Number of students who responded to the questionnaire from first year to final year as follows: 49 (18.8%), 55 (21.1%), 51 (19.5%), 59 (22.6%) and 47 (18.0%). 13 students did not respond to the question on awareness of CSF and we removed them from the analysis. These students belonged to all academic years and respective numbers were 2,3,2,3 and 3 from first year to final year. We present the results of 248 respondents in the subsequent analysis.
Awareness of CSF
Of 248 students, 140 indicated that they were aware of CSF indicating 56.5% (95%CI: 50.3% - 62.6%) CSF awareness among medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya. CSF awareness was higher in males (71.1%, 95%CI: 60.9% - 81.2%) compared to females (50.0%, 95%CI: 42.5% - 57.5%) (P=0.003). CSF awareness among the first year students (72.3%, 95%CI: 60.0 – 85.1%) was higher than the final year students (40.9%, 95%CI: 26.4 – 55.4%). Generalized linear model fitting showed a significant decrease in CSF awareness in the senior students (odds ratio = 0.74 (95%CI: 0.62 – 0.90) per each advancing batch).
Among 140 of students who were aware of CSF, highest awareness was observed for Google Drive (85.0%). Second and third highest awareness were for Dropbox (73.6%) and OneDrive (42.1%). 63 (45.0%) students were already aware of CSF before entering to the University (Table 2).
Table 2: Demographic characteristics of the participants
Characteristics
|
Aware of cloud storage
(N =140)
Number (56.5%)
|
Not aware of cloud storage (N =108)
Number (43.5%)
|
P value
|
Gender
|
|
|
|
Males
|
54 (71.1%)
|
22 (28.9%)
|
0.003*
|
Females
|
86 (50.0%)
|
86 (50.0%)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Academic year
|
|
|
|
First year
|
34 (72.3%)
|
13 (27.7%)
|
0.003†
|
Second year
|
32 (61.5%)
|
20 (38.5%)
|
|
Third year
|
26 (53.1%)
|
23 (46.9%)
|
|
Fourth year
|
30 (53.6%)
|
26 (46.4%)
|
|
Final year (fifth year)
|
18 (40.9%)
|
26 (59.1%)
|
|
|
|
|
|
When did the students get to know
|
|
|
|
Before entering to the Faculty
|
63 (45.0%)
|
|
|
After entering to the faculty and learnt during the IT practical sessions
|
25 (17.6%)
|
|
|
After entering to the faculty but not learn from the IT practical sessions
|
47 (33.6%)
|
|
|
Not-answered
|
5 (3.6%)
|
|
|
*Pearson’s Chi squared test; †Linear logistic/Generalized linear model
Usage of CSF
Of 140 who were aware of CSF, 126 (90.0%) actually used these facilities. Hence, the CSF usage among all the students at the Faculty was 50.8% (95%CI: 44.4 - 57.2%). Male students showed a relatively higher CSF usage (62.5%, 95%CI: 51.9% - 73.1%) compared to female students (47.0%, 95% CI: 39.7% - 54.2%), although the difference was not significant.
From the students who were aware of Google Drive (85.0%), 12.1% had accessed it daily and 20.0% had accessed it more than once a week. Second and third highest awareness were for Dropbox (73.6%) and OneDrive (42.1%). From them more than 15% had never accessed them. Although students were aware of iCloud and Amazon, majority had never accessed them (Table 3).
Table 3: Awareness and usage patterns of the participants for the top five cloud storages
Name
|
Awareness Number (%)
|
Daily
|
More than once a week
|
More than once a month
|
Less than once a month
|
Never
|
Not answered
|
Google Drive
|
119 (85.0%)
|
17 (12.1%)
|
28 (20.0%)
|
31 (22.1%)
|
23 (16.4%)
|
13 (9.3%)
|
28 (20.0%)
|
Dropbox
|
103 (73.6%)
|
8 (5.7%)
|
13 (9.3%)
|
21 (15.0%)
|
28 (20.0%)
|
25 (17.9%)
|
45 (32.1%)
|
OneDrive
|
59 (42.1%)
|
5 (3.6%)
|
9 (6.4%)
|
10 (7.1%)
|
11 (7.8%)
|
26 (18.6%)
|
79 (56.4%)
|
iCloud
|
53 (37.9%)
|
7 (5.0%)
|
7 (5.0%)
|
6 (4.2%)
|
11 (7.8%)
|
30 (21.4%)
|
79 (56.4%)
|
Amazon
|
33 (23.6%)
|
1 (0.7%)
|
2 (1.4%)
|
2 (1.4%)
|
3 (2.1%)
|
32 (23.6%)
|
100 (71.4%)
|
Among the students who were aware of CSF, 79 (56.4%) had used cloud facility to transfer electronic files and 64 (45.7%) students used cloud storage to save educational materials. 36 (25.7%) had synchronized their files with CSF. Further, 109 (77.9%) students mentioned that cloud storage is useful for educational purposes and 19 (13.5%) students in view that CSF is little or no use for educational purpose.
Awareness of CSF and exam performance
There was no difference in the Z score of G.C.E. A/L between students who were aware and not aware of CSF (median score: 1.96 (IQR: 1.92 – 2.00) versus 1.98 (IQR: 1.92 – 2.00) respectively, P= 0.251). Similarly, there was no difference in grade five scholarship results between students who were aware and not aware of cloud storages (median score: 151 (IQR: 140.0 – 162.0) versus 151.0 (IQR: 143.0 – 163.0) respectively, P =0.434).
We could not elicit a correlation between CSF awareness and the medical exam performances of students. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient for continuous assessments as follows; continuous assessment 1 = -0.107 (P=0.107); continuous assessment 2 = -0.028 (P=0.701). For unit examinations it was; unit 1 = 0.032 (P=0.668); unit 2 = 0.129 (P=0.090); unit 3a = -0.001 (P=0.997); unit 3b = 0.084 (P=0.431); unit 3c = 0.144 (P=0.179); unit 4 = 0.146 (P=0.375); unit 5 = -0.188 (P=0.257).
Limiting factors of using CSF
Of 140 CSF aware students, 55 (39.3%) and 28 (20.0%) mentioned that they do not have adequate time and knowledge to use CSF respectively. Limiting factors for using CS included lack of accessibility 45(32.1%), concerns on security 37 (26.4%) and privacy 32 (22.9%).
Interest to learn more about CSF
Of total students, 35 (14.1%) student did not want to use CSF and 173 (69.8%) indicated that they would like to learn CSF as an effective tool for education. This included 72 (76.6%) of students who were not previously aware of CSF and 101 (84.9%) students who were already aware of CSF. 40 (16.1%) students did not wish to have a training on CSF and this included 22 (23.4%) students who were not aware of CSF and 18 (15.1%) who were aware of CSF.