Teaching using Peer-assisted learning vs a Live Zoom lecture for the 4th year medical students amid COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background: Amid COVID-19 pandemic the normal teaching and learning have been disrupted. Medical education needs to adapt to online teaching to keep social distancing, while maintaining learning outcomes.
Objective: To compare the learning outcomes and students’ satisfaction in teaching acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) in children between peer-assisted learning (PAL) and a live zoom lecture (LZL) for the medical students.
Methods: The cross-sectional analytic study was investigated in the 4th year medical students in the paediatric rotation at Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital, Thailand. In ARIs in children, the students were randomly divided into two groups of PAL and LZL. In the PAL group, the students had a discussion with the staff and then they prepared a PowerPoint to teach peers under staff supervision. In the LZL group, the students read the handout before attending the interactive live lecture by the staff using Zoom. The pre- and post-test scores in multiple choice questions, student satisfaction and feedback were recorded and analysed.
Results: The 28 students were assigned to PAL and LZL group with similar GPAs of 3.23 and 3.20 respectively. The pre-/post-test scores and mean differences of PAL and LZL were 53.0 ± 21.1/ 73.8±14.2 (mean difference 39.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 8.4 to 33.3; P 0.003) and 65.5±18.7/ 79.8±18.7 (mean difference 39.3; 95% CI, 5.0 to 23.6; P 0.006) respectively. Median student satisfaction using 4-point scale in PAL and LZL were 3.4 (IQR 2-4) and 3.5 (IQR 3-4) respectively and not statistically significant.
Conclusion: Both PAL and LZL group had significantly improved the test scores with high student satisfaction. These modes of teaching can be transferred to other settings and make clinical skill teaching and learning more challenging.