Contemporary pharmacology teaching methods in the Covid-19 era at Umm Al-Qura University

Abstract

Globally, Covid-19 has created unparalleled challenges at all levels of education. In view of this, Umm Al-Qura University (UQU) introduced electronic learning in education as a measure to limit the pandemic’s effects. In this study, a comparative, cross-sectional approach was taken to explore the use of electronic learning as an active teaching model. The Blackboard was utilized to aid knowledge retention and transform pharmacological knowledge from theoretical to practical knowledge. The study was conducted between January 2020 and April 2021 with 415 pharmacy students. Students felt that content saturation and traditional lectures were critical obstacles for active teaching. Meanwhile, integrated active intellectual teaching methods, including flipped classrooms and practical video simulations, facilitated students’ engagement. As contemporary teaching methods are required in modern education, UQU has sought to empower excellence in education and transform the teaching of pharmacology during the pandemic.