Asynchronous E-learning after synchronous E-learning in the pathology course. When is the proper time for this transition?

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Recordings of live streaming e-lessons of pathology at medical school of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece are uploaded to the e-class portfolio of each student enrolled in the course. We measured the number of views each video received and noticed that this number exceeded the number of enrolled students. Our main aim was to investigate the correlation between the upload of an educational video and the views it got so as to determine when the proper time is for professors to e-share or upload an educational video for the students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We measured the number of views of the recorded e-lessons when all videos were uploaded, with a frequency of 15 days. We used analysis of variances statistical analysis to find the significance of the amount of time each video had been uploaded on the virtual platform of the course. We also applied t-tests to assess the significance of alteration of the number of views related to the amount of time until the examinations. RESULTS: Time was a statistically significant factor in the impact of an educational video. The two-factor analysis without interaction measured P ≃ 0.001, proving the strong correlation between time and the increase of views. As the examination date was approaching, there was a statistically significant increase in the number of views of the videotaped e-lessons. Almost 50% of the views of each of the videos took place in the two-week examination period of the course. CONCLUSIONS: The educational videos that contained the core learning concepts of the pathology course should be uploaded first. The complex learning points of the pathology course must be available at the beginning of the semester. Additionally, recordings of videos covering the complex learning points of the course should be uploaded as an additional tool of asynchronous e-learning for the students who choose to watch their former e-lessons to prepare for the examinations.