Pre-COVID conventional offline teaching v/s intra-COVID online teaching: A descriptive map of preference patterns among first year M.B.B.S students

Introduction: Medical education today is equipped with an armamentarium of newer online-based methods of correspondence courses, computerized virtual patient simulation, many open online courses in medical sciences, and tele-learning. The sudden, unplanned change from conventional teaching to online teaching during COVID-19 poses unique challenges and opportunities for teachers and learners, both. Many themes and principles have emerged for good online teaching learning and assessment practices (GOTLAP). Materials and Methods: The present study, involving 392 MBBS first year students from two universities, was conducted with an aim of comparing students' perception regarding online and offline teaching methodology, and online v/s offline method of assessment and to recommend the principles of GOTLAP. Data collected were analyzed by Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat (SWOT) analysis to provide a focused measure on how students perceive the program of online teaching and assessment. Results: In the present study, majority of the students (approximately 49.6%) have shown preference for offline teaching methodology, 22.9% has shown similar preference for both methods, while 27.5% has shown preference for the offline teaching method. SWOT analysis applied on qualitative data is a useful tool for assessing our present status in online learning and laying a ground work for formulating GOTLAP and a plan of future strategy. Conclusions: The GOTLAP principles can effectively pave way for the incorporation of blended learning (currently underutilized) in undergraduate medical education.