Case-based e-learning in ENT medicine – A post-pandemic relic or a useful digital teaching module?

The Covid-19 pandemic required German university hospitals to quickly switch to digital teaching content in order to maintain curricular teaching in accordance with the current contact regulations. The digitalisation of teaching in ENT medicine was achieved in different ways. Case-based e-learning is one way of conveying teaching content digitally and creating important links between theoretical knowledge and practical skills. The aim of this study was to carry out a usage analysis of case-based e-learning with ENT medical topics over the course of the summer semester 2020 to the summer semester 2023. The aim was to determine the significance of case-based e-learning established "as an emergency" in the post-pandemic learning behaviour of students. Analogous to the lectures, 14 e-learning cases were created and made available on the University of Würzburg's online teaching platform as a voluntary supplement to curricular teaching. At the end of each semester, the users, their usage time and subject preferences were evaluated. In addition, a survey was conducted on the quality of the e-learning, motivation and interest in ENT medicine. Case-based e-learning was used by two thirds of the students, particularly for exam preparation. Interestingly, there was a cohort of students who used case-based e-learning very frequently and repeatedly. The quality of the e-learning correlated positively with the motivation and interest of the students. The results of this study should contribute to the evaluation of digital teaching content in order to ensure the structured further development of teaching in ENT medicine.