RESEARCH ARTICLE: A study on the effectiveness of online teaching in pharmacy education from teacher and student perspectives during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: Technology is a proven teaching aid, and online teaching has facilitated teaching across borders; however although technology has been proved to be an effective teaching aid, it cannot replace a teacher. There are many reports that discuss the constraints of only using online classes, as a result the use of both online and face to face classes has been advocated. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has forced teachers and lecturers to rely solely on online classes. Methods: The authors conducted a survey among the teachers and students of selected schools in India and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to assess their experiences of the effectiveness of online teaching over traditional classroom teaching; the possible ways to improve the teaching and learning experiences; and to find innovative ways and means that can make online teaching more effective. The responses were then represented as percentages, and statistical analysis was conducted to find the degree of agreement. Conclusion: Some degree of agreement regarding focus in lectures, interactions and summative online assessments was found between students and faculties. Internet speed and technical issues were revealed to be the main constraints of this format, whereas flexibility, availability of content for revision, and fewer distractions were the positive features. The majority of the students and faculty felt that online teaching could not replace traditional face-to-face teaching. The use of animated and video content would help students’ understanding and retention of topics. Frequent summative and formative assessments are vital to draw attention, help with retention and address the issues relating to learning and teaching.