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WhatsApp Mobile Application as a Learning Tool for Teaching Dermatology to Undergraduates
WC05-WC08
Correspondence
Dr. Anuradha Bhatia,
House No.-468 Sector 32 A, Chandigarh, Chandigarh, India.
E-mail: anu2705@gmail.com
Introduction: The mobile app WhatsApp is gaining popularity in Medical Education informally over the last few years because of its easy availability, instant access and ease in transferring high quality medical images. Dermatology being a highly visual subject, WhatsApp can be used as a learning tool in addition to didactic lectures.
Aim: To assess the perception of undergraduate students and faculty about e-learning using WhatsApp in Dermatology.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab, India, in August 2020 among second year undergraduate students. Two modules based on Case Based Learning (CBL) were made and posted on a dedicated WhatsApp group (including students and dermatology faculty). Students were asked to send responses to questions on the group. Students and faculty were also asked to fill a pre-structured, prevalidated feedback questionnaire to assess their perception regarding the use of WhatsApp as a learning tool. Descriptive analysis was used. Open ended questions were analyzed by thematic qualitative analysis and expressed as percentages.
Results: Total 80 students participated in the study, 50 students who filled the feedback questionnaire, 30 were females, mean age of the study group was 20.25 years. Twenty seven students (54%) were of the opinion that WhatsApp was a good motivator for Self Directed Learning (SDL) while 20 (40%) of them remained neutral. Twenty nine (58%) students wanted WhatsApp as an online teaching method to be part of teaching in Dermatology. Thirty students (60%) felt WhatsApp was a flexible learning tool in terms of time and place. Among total four faculty, 3 (75%) agreed that WhatsApp was a good learning tool, increased teacher-student interaction and was a good motivator to self-directed learning.
Conclusion: If used with a well-structured educational research model, WhatsApp becomes a highly effective tool in medical education.