Analysis of distance learning of foreign citizens in medical institutions of higher education in Ukraine

Abstract

Distance learning has emerged as the primary method for ensuring learning continuity in emergency situations. Before the full-scale war in Ukraine, each university established its own full-fledged distant learning system. Distance education changed once more with the onset of the war and its implications. Foreign students who pursued their studies from their countries of permanent residency faced particular difficulties. The task of the universities was to create the most comfortable conditions for them. The research’s major goal is to evaluate the quality of foreign citizens’ remote learning at medical institutions of higher education and to make recommendations for improvement. To achieve this, an English-language questionnaire was created for medical students at higher education institutions. The poll was performed in May 2022 using the Google forms platform with anonymity and respondents’ free agreement to the processing of personal data. A total of 8.990 applicants for higher medical education in Ukraine’s higher education institutions (nationals from other countries) were questioned. The majority of students surveyed were representatives of India (54.54%), followed by Egypt – 13.13%, Morocco – 12.12%. The organization of the educational process according to these answers (67.9% of respondents) is in a combined synchronous-asynchronous mode. Different platforms and programs have been implemented in distance learning, most students reported using several platforms during their studies (60.7%), ZOOM was often the only platform for training (35.3%). The obtaining of practical skills took place mainly in three formats: multimedia presentations, discussion of clinical situations, simulation. There was a significant decrease in the level of practical skills acquisition (-31.22%), a significantly shorter duration of time spent on training (-30%) and a slight decrease in the average score of academic performance (-3.01%). At the same time, the distance learning had a positive effect on attendance. 46.6% of respondents admit that the biggest disadvantage of distance learning is the reduction of the practical component, 20.9% see their training as ineffective, and 9.6% of respondents say that the biggest disadvantage is the lack of live communication. At the same time, 52.3% want to leave the elements of distance learning in the future. Distance learning is one of the forms of providing the educational process, which allows to create safe conditions for all participants in the educational process. With the correct use of all its elements, distance learning can be a full-fledged form and will provide quality knowledge and practical skills.