Abstract

Objective: To determine the mode of e-learning preferred by the students regarding pre-recorded lectures (asynchronous) or online zoom lectures (online synchronous learning).
Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at CMH Lahore Medical College and Institute of Dentistry from 21st May to 21st June 2020. An online self-administered questionnaire was shared with the students via WhatsApp. The reliability was checked after conducting a pilot study and Cronbach’s alpha was 0.711. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.
Results: A total of 282 responses were obtained. Most respondents were female (69.9%), while about 83.7% of responses were from MBBS students. Students who were currently not in the country strongly agreed that time zone differences made online zoom lectures harder to attend. Most students (65.2%) preferred pre-recorded lectures over online zoom lectures. The major factors influencing their choice included pre-recorded lectures being less time-consuming (72.4%) with students being able to re-watch them during the exam preparation (87.6%) and better manage their daily activities (78.8%). Approximately 70.9% of the students wanted instructors to continue uploading recorded lectures after resumption of traditional lectures.
Conclusion: Students preferred pre-recorded lectures over online zoom lectures. An online curriculum should be developed with predominantly asynchronous learning along with reliable methods of assessment to ensure that the students achieve their academic goals.

Key words: Distance learning, video recording, online learning, medical education, COVID-19.