'[M]y own pace and space, without the pressures': Online learning experiences of audiology students.
Liepollo Ntlhakana, Aadilah Alli
PMID 38832366WHAT IT FOUND
Audiology students described online learning as flexible, cost-effective and less exhausting, but also reported time-management problems, weak instructor presence, poor peer connection, load-shedding and feeling unprepared for clinical practicals.
Key findings
01Students described online learning as cost-effective and less exhausting, and said it let them learn at their own pace and more independently.
02Students reported difficulty managing time, limited instructor presence, limited peer interaction, connectivity problems from load-shedding, and feeling unprepared for clinical practicals.
03Students said they used self-regulated learning, additional resources, instructor presence, data bundles, combined recorded and live lectures, and blended learning to make online learning work.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
Only ten students were interviewed, nine were female, and most were in their final year at one university. The study used interviews only, so it captures what students said rather than observed learning or patient outcomes. It cannot show how audiology online learning works elsewhere, and it asked about online learning experiences, not clinical competence.
Declared interests
The paper states that the research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these student reports as evidence that online learning prepares audiology students for clinical work. Students described feeling unprepared for clinical practicals, and the study only explored online learning experiences.