Assessing the Obstacles Encountered by Dental College Faculty in Punjab During Online Instructive Sessions

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the challenges faced by faculty of different institutes in Punjab while they were delivering content online during COVID-19. Materials and Methods: This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in different Dental Colleges of Punjab and spanned over 3 months. Ethical approval was sought from ERB at Dental College HITEC-IMS. A validated questionnaire was formed using the FROCT Scale and was checked for its content and face validity. A pilot study was conducted, and reliability was checked using the test re-test method. Results: The majority of the faculty found it difficult to plan, design, and conduct these online sessions as a mode of information transfer. As low as 38% of faculty members faced no problem related to online teaching. 33% were already familiar with this mode and only 35% more were willing to learn these e-teaching techniques. Internet connectivity, student, engagement, and their response to assignments were found to be major issues. Conclusion: This study concluded that the faculty of dental colleges in Punjab is neither equipped with the knowledge of e-teaching nor they are ready to adapt to the changes in medical education. COVID-19 has altered the way that we learn and forced us to adjust to these more modern methods. Additionally, to keep up with the world, development, and coordination with the IT sector are now essential.