The Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic had significant effects on medical education and training in Nigeria both for undergraduates and postgraduates. The rapid global transmission of COVID-19 led to its description as a pandemic within five (5) months of its emergence. This led to an urgent transition from conventional physical classroom learning to online teaching methods. To assess the effectiveness of online learning (post-COVID-19 pandemic) in comparison to traditional physical classroom learning, particularly among final-year medical students in Southern Nigeria. We also aimed to identify the peculiar challenges and difficulties these medical students experienced with both forms of educational teaching methods. An analytical cross-sectional pilot study was conducted online which included one hundred and three (103) final-year medical undergraduates in Southern Nigeria. Data were collected using a structured Google Form, focusing on the perceptions, effectiveness and challenges of the teaching methods. Statistical analysis, incorporating descriptive and inferential methods, was done using the collected data. Measures were implemented to minimize potential biases. The findings from this pilot study revealed a significant positive relationship favouring classroom learning in terms of better academic outcomes, effective interaction, meeting individual needs, and refinement of skills and knowledge from the students’ perspective. A substantial majority (80.6%) associated classroom learning with better academic outcomes, and 93.2% found it superior for fostering interactions. In contrast, online learning was perceived as more expensive for both students (82.5%) and institutions (62.1%). Technical problems (88.3%) and a lack of self-discipline (74.8%) were identified as major disadvantages of online learning. Sex was significantly associated with the perception of stress, with more males deeming physical classroom lectures more stressful than online lectures (p = 0.028). Furthermore, a significant association was found between age range and perceptions that classroom lectures allowed for better illustration (p = 0.012) and that online lectures were more expensive for students (p = 0.029). Despite the necessity of online education following the pandemic, traditional classroom teaching remains the preferred and more effective mode of instruction for final-year medical students in Nigeria. While online learning provided crucial continuity, it was generally considered more expensive and stressful due to technical issues, and less engaging. These findings strongly suggest the need for a thoughtful integration of both teaching methods to leverage their respective strengths and optimize the learning experience.
Onyenagubo et al. (Sat,) studied this question.