Interdisciplinary Journal of Virtual Learning in Medical Sciences
Year:2015 | Volume:5 | Issue:4|Papers Count:11

Introduction: E-learning is one of the most important and common paradigms of ICT in educational areas. It may help promote creativity, an important, basic and effective component of human life. The aim of this paper is to study the effect of e-learning on students' creativity at Meshkinshahr Payame Noor University in the 2012-2013 academic year.Materials and Methods: A quasi experimental design with a control group was used in this study. All students of Payame Noor University of Meshkin Shahr (2500) were the population that was studying in 2013-2014 academic year. The sample, which was selected through the access sampling, consisted of the students having two pre-pre-elementary courses (60 students). Abedi creative questionnaire was used as the research tool. The validity was assessed through the internal consistency method which showed 0.79 for the creativity questionnaire. The reliability was assessed via the retest method which showed 0.85 for fluid, 0.82 for invention, 0.84 for flexibility, and 0.80 for expansion. For statistical calculation, SPSS software, version 16 was used. T-test was used to examine the hypotheses.Results: The results showed that e-learning had a significant effect on students' creativity (p<0.5).Conclusion: Based on the results, e-learning can be considered as an effective factor promoting the students' creativity. Therefore, material planners and instructors should pay due attention to it.

Introduction: Learning is essential for any social organization. Since the external and the internal environments are changing, organizational learning and learner organization seem to be more critical. The main aim of the present survey was studying the rate of learner organization components adoption, in the libraries of Tehran University of Medical Sciences from the librarians’ points of view, using the Marquardt model.Materials & Methods: The present study is a descriptive one whose statistical population consisted of all librarians of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (about 50). A research-made questionnaire was used to collect the data. One professor and two experts of the field evaluated the questionnaire and based on their views its validity was confirmed. The reliability of the research instrument was found to be 0.92, using Cronbach’s alpha. Pearson correlation coefficient and Friedman test were used to analyze the data.Results: According to the results, the means for the learning dynamics, organizational change, empowerment, knowledge management and IT application components were 2.65, 2.58, 2.54, 2.63, and 2.52, respectively. Therefore, all learner organization components in the libraries of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were weak.Conclusion: To become a learner organization, the managers and organizers of these libraries should pay more attention to more open communication between managers and staff, development of team working culture within the organization, changes in organization strategies and visions, etc.

Introduction: Service quality assessment is a basic step in quality improvement planning. Educational services offered to students of academic organisations are of different types. So students’ satisfaction is an indicator of disirable services in academic organisations. This study aimed to identify the students’ expectations of educational services, their viewpoints about current educational services and determination of the quality gap at Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, using SERVQUAL Model.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study the existing gap between the students’ expectations and the educational services was assessed, using the SERQUAL model with a standard questionnaire containing 28 items and a sample of 273 students. The data was analyzed by SPSS software, version 16 with t and ANOVA tests.Results: Most of the students were 21 years old and 67.4% of them were female. Also undergraduate students with 77.7% and nursing students with 23.4% had the most frequencies. Regarding the five aspects of quality, there was considerable gap between the quality of current educational services and the students’ expectations (p=0.000). The students of Health School gave the best score to the current educational services. ANOVA analysis showed that regarding the five asspects of quality in different schools, only the difference between the empathy aspect was ststistically significant (p-value=0.086).Conclusion: Based on the results, the students’ expectations are beyond the current status. Thus improving the quality of services, particularly those with the most gap, should be of the highest priority.

Introduction: The adoption of information technology has revolutionized the educational programs. If properly used, this technology can offer a lot of opportunities to both the teachers and the learners. The aim of the present study was to identify the relationship between the use of information and communication technology by the student and their academic performance.Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of all students studying at Behavioral and Social Sciences Faculties. Using Cochran’s formula, we obtained a sample of 384 participants. An IT questionnaire was used to collect the research data. The research tool was validated using expert opinion and its reliability was found to be 94%.Results: The results of the study showed that students used IT averagely, and their academic performance was relatively desirable. A meaningful and positive relationship was found between the use of such software as word (p<0.01, r=0.25), PowerPoint (p<0.01, r=0.23), excel (p<0.01, r=0.15), and other software (statistical analysis, graphics) (p<0.01, r=0.12) and E-mail (p<0.01, r=0.35), Search (p<0.01, r=0.29), and audio-visual communication chat (p<0.01, r=0.19) and the students’ academic performance. However, there was no correlation between the academic performance and the use of data base (access) and font page.Conclusion: It is suggested that the university courses be prepared and taught through ICT technologies. In addition, the infrastructure and cultural background for the use of ICT should be provided for all students, particularly the new ones.

Introduction: The purpose of faculty evaluation is improvement of teaching quality and its effectiveness. This study was performed to investigate the most important criteria in faculty evaluation among students of Shiraz Dental School.Materials and Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed, using census method. The participants consisted of all Shiraz Dental School students (376 students) in the second semester of 2011 academic year. The evaluation tool was a valid and reliable questionnaire with 3 sections and 40 questions, being prepared by the Education Development Center (EDC) of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were checked by Shiraz University of Medical Sciences faculties (Cronbach's alpha=0.89). The data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 16), using Friedman test.Results: According to the students, the most important evaluation criteria were the professors’ personal characters, teaching skills, testing approaches and the observance of educational principles and standards. There was a significant difference between mean scores of all above sections except the testing approaches (P value<0.001). In addition, factors such as the instructors’ temperament, level of exam difficulty, time of completing the evaluation form were considered important by the participants.Conclusion: Although different studies have reported different criteria, the criteria used in this research can be employed to develop a valid and reliable questionnaire to evaluate the university instructors.

Introduction: This research was planned to obtain the most effective educational options required by the staff who deliver services in the outpatient Dept. of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.Materials and Methods: The survey was a cross-sectional and applied study that was performed descriptively and analytically in 2014. For data collection, all clients’ complaints in 2014 were collected from the university center for attending to complaints …… Unit and were analyzed using EXCEL software. The staff and managers’ views were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity was verified by experts and whose reliability was found to be 0.79. The data were analyzed through classic & statistical ANOVA, and T-test using SPSS software.Results: the results showed that the most clients’ complaints of Motahri and Imam Reza clinics were related to the inappropriate manner of the staff (55 cases, %35.5). Interestingly, most employees felt the need for a workshop on “communication skills at work”. Moreover, there was a statistically significant difference between the mean score of the two educational courses of stress management (p<0.0001) and time management (p=0.004) for the females & the males. Besides, regarding the organizational position of the participants, a statistically significant difference was found among the mean scores of stress management (p=0.002), time management (p=0.0111), problem solving skills and decision making (p=0.0004) courses.Conclusion: Regarding the low experience of the present staff and the many more years they have to work at the university, there is a need for proper in-service training package to empower the personnel to reduce the clients’ complaints and achieve their satisfaction.

Introduction: Nowadays, in order to implement E-learning, we should be aware of the students’ computer literacy before taking further steps. The purpose of this study was to evaluate computer literacy among students of Dehloran Payam-e- Noor University (PNU).Materials and Methods: The following research is a descriptive study carried out, using the survey method. The statistical population consisted of 1823 students studying at Dehloran PNU in 2014, of whom 318 (109 males and 209 females) were selected, using Morgan and Krejcie table and the stratified sampling. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire was verified by the experts and its reliability was found to be 0.92, using Cronbach's Alpha. The data were analyzed through Kolmogorov Smirnov test, sample T and Friedman test, using the SPSS software, version 17.Results: The results showed that the Dehloran PNU students’ computer literacy was not desirable. Also, based on the priority of computer skills of the students, most students were familiar with the basic concepts of information technology, with an average of 6.80 and their minimal familiarity with the database was 1.74.Conclusion: Given the vision of PMU, i.e. higher education for everybody, everywhere and every time, it is essential that policymakers and planners of the Payam-e- Noor University pay special attention to promoting computer skills of the students.

Introduction: The development of communication technology has had significant effects on educational methods, and the evaluation of its benefits over traditional methods is under study. Accordingly, the present research is studying the effect of face-to-face and blended education of pre-requisite general courses on post-requisite courses for technical students studying in two-year colleges.Materials and Methods: This research is a prospective enquiry, with both a control and an experiment group, on the performance of 642 technical students of Bahonar technical college of Shiraz entering the college in 2009. Their performance was evaluated in the pre-requisite courses of English, Physics and Mathematics taught through two blended and face-to-face methods. The students were to be a representative of technical students (except fields of agriculture, art and science) of District 4 of Technical and Vocational University (including Fars, Bushehr, Hormozgan and Kohkiluyeh provinces in Iran). The data were gathered through paper-based exams and questionnaires, being analyzed via t-test, variance analysis and partial coefficient correlation and beta coefficients. The students' performance was compared with their following year performance on the associated post-requisite courses. The validity of the tests was confirmed by experienced teachers and their reliability was found to be 0.891, 0.748 and 0.869 for Pre-requisite math, physics and English, respectively using Cronbach alpha. For the data analysis, SPSS software version 19 was used.Results: The results showed that the means of the scores for the students with face-to-face education was more than those for their counterparts with the blended education: General Math (7%), Prerequisite Physics (39%), Prerequisite English (8%) and General Physics (9%) (0.001<p<0.36). In both blended and face-to-face groups, the results for Prerequisite Math were the same (t (512)=0.858). In addition, a significant difference was seen on students’ essay-type Prerequisite Math tests and their mean score, for those who favored taking essay-type tests of Mathematics (11%) and Physics (4%) (p<0.05).Conclusion: Generally, face-to-face courses were more effective than blended courses. But the students’ saved time for blended courses helped the students study non-virtual courses better; hence, they gained similar mean scores compared to face-to-face students.

Introduction: Different approaches to evaluating medical curriculum have been designed and implemented. The purpose of the present study is to review and analyze these approaches and, based on the Thien model, propose a framework for the evaluation and accreditation of the physiopathology curriculum for general physicians.Materials and Methods: This research has dealt with the development and accreditation of the framework and tools of evaluation of the physiopathology curriculum for general physicians, using a sequential exploratory mixed method (quantitative & qualitative). The data were collected through triangulation method which uses the analysis of guided content. The validation criteria were quality, reliability, credibility, and transmissibility, with less importance on the loop and alpha methods. The sampling consisted of faculty members of the medical school, curriculum evaluators and experts of the field, selected based on the goal-oriented method and volume saturation.Results: The evaluation of the physiopathology curriculum was developed using the following three areas: Elements of the curriculum (objectives, content, methods, evaluation and management), levels (intended, achieved), and internal and external evaluation criteria, based on the principles of Islamic Education.Conclusion: This framework and the tools enable us to monitor the curriculum and evaluation of its elements in the achieved and intended levels of medical education. Also according to the criteria of internal and external evaluation, the defects of the areas of planning and implementation can be detected and solved. Furthermore, the compatibility and proportion of the five elements could be evaluated which is helpful in strategic decision making.

Introduction: Nowadays a great deal of information and scientific knowledge is processed through Information Technology including Internet and E-learning. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the factors affecting the use of IT ethically among university students.Materials and Methods: This study was of a descriptive type, which used a correlational design. The study sample consisted of the students studying at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The sample was selected through accidental stratified method, using Cocharan formula. The data was collected through a researcher made questionnaire, whose validity was approved by experts and whose reliability was found to be 0.88, using Cronbach's alpha. For data analysis, path analysis and LISREL statistical software were used.Results: Three variables of computer including self-efficacy, perceived severity of punishment and subjective norm had a direct effect on needs intensity variable; perceived severity of punishment having the greatest effect.Conclusion: Needs intensity, computer self-efficacy, technology specifications, perceived behavioral control, attitude toward ethical use, and perceived severity of punishment, facilitating conditions and ultimately the subjective norm had the highest to the lowest correlation coefficients with the tendency to use IT ethically.