Digital Teacher – Student Interaction in Online Training at Medical Universities

Abstract

Medical education marks a considerable stage in its development, significantly affected by the global Covid-19 pandemic. The introduction of e-learning added new dimensions to the traditional educational process. The aim of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of digital teacher-student interaction during e-learning. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 249 university lecturers from two medical universities. The obtained results outlined the shortcomings of online learning, such as the weakening of the teacher-student relationship, the presence of passive participation and weaker responsibility on the part of students in the conducted classes. Positive attitude towards e-learning was shared mainly by lecturers holding higher academic positions, such as 'associate professor' and 'professor', as well as those working in the theoretical educational units, compared to the pre-clinical and clinical departments. Effective interaction between teachers and students is an essential aspect of the quality of the educational process and remains a topical issue in the context of continuing distance learning in medical universities