Challenges and Acceptance of Synchronized e-learning for Undergraduates during COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Synchronized e-learning has been the savior of the educational system during the current COVID-19 pandemic. As this is newly implemented in lockdown, adaptability by the teachers may face challenges. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the perception and experiences of teachers on online live classes conducted during the pandemic in a health school in the eastern part of India. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional online survey was conducted after getting the approval of the institutional ethics. The survey was conducted with medical, dental, and nursing teachers. The survey was anonymous. The self-administered questionnaire was distributed among teachers through Google Forms. Results: A total of 130 teachers participated in this survey with a response rate of 63.8%. Among them, 120 (90.2%) were first time taking online classes in their teaching career. Around 78% and 41.5% of the faculties experienced discontinuation of class due to Internet disruption and technical issues, respectively. Around 72.3% of faculties perceived that animations or videos may increase the attention of students. The majority of the teachers (86%) considered the traditional method to be better than online classes and it cannot be a substitute for classroom learning on normal curricular days. Conclusion: Due to sudden implementation and resource limitations, many teachers faced challenges in conducting synchronized e-classes. Teachers considered online classes to be learner-centric one with time and place flexibility. Although online classes are not a substitute for traditional classes can enhance each other in the post-pandemic period.