Hamzah Alzubaidi1,2, Feras Jassim Jirjees1, Kari L Franson3, Ward Saidawi2, Amna M Othman1, Zainab H Rabeeah4, Hala Jehad Al-Obaidi5,6, Taher Hatahet6, Suzanne Caliph7. 1. College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. 2. Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. 3. School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America. 4. Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America. 5. College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates. 6. School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. 7. Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To explore pharmacy colleges' experiences and challenges worldwide with the transition to online teaching during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: From the six World Health Organization regions, 28 countries with the highest number of COVID-19 cases were identified, and 111 pharmacy colleges were randomly selected from these countries. Two online surveys were sent to faculty members and senior administrators. They assessed changes in teaching and learning, experiential training, assessment, readiness for and challenges with distance e-learning and work-related stress. KEY FINDINGS: Data were collected from 46 colleges. The majority (80.4%) of colleges transitioned to distance e-learning. On-site experiential training was discontinued in 55.5% of colleges and 25.0% redesigned on-site training into remote learning experiences. Assessments were modified in 75.9% of colleges. Assuring the integrity of assessments and delivering practical classes were the most prominent faculty challenges. The majority of faculty (75.0%) and administrators (61.9%) reported moderate work-related stress. Nevertheless, most academics felt that they received adequate support from their institutions and had positive perceptions of the transition to distance e-learning during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic required drastic changes for most programs' teaching methods. Our results showed that educational institutions were somewhat able to support faculty and the needs of educational programs were largely met. However, academic rigour and provision of experiential training can be improved. Faculty emotional support and training needs were not fully addressed in these difficult times. These results shed light on how the global pharmacy academy has addressed the COVID-19 pandemic and help rethink crisis response models.
OBJECTIVES: To explore pharmacy colleges' experiences and challenges worldwide with the transition to online teaching during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: From the six World Health Organization regions, 28 countries with the highest number of COVID-19 cases were identified, and 111 pharmacy colleges were randomly selected from these countries. Two online surveys were sent to faculty members and senior administrators. They assessed changes in teaching and learning, experiential training, assessment, readiness for and challenges with distance e-learning and work-related stress. KEY FINDINGS: Data were collected from 46 colleges. The majority (80.4%) of colleges transitioned to distance e-learning. On-site experiential training was discontinued in 55.5% of colleges and 25.0% redesigned on-site training into remote learning experiences. Assessments were modified in 75.9% of colleges. Assuring the integrity of assessments and delivering practical classes were the most prominent faculty challenges. The majority of faculty (75.0%) and administrators (61.9%) reported moderate work-related stress. Nevertheless, most academics felt that they received adequate support from their institutions and had positive perceptions of the transition to distance e-learning during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic required drastic changes for most programs' teaching methods. Our results showed that educational institutions were somewhat able to support faculty and the needs of educational programs were largely met. However, academic rigour and provision of experiential training can be improved. Faculty emotional support and training needs were not fully addressed in these difficult times. These results shed light on how the global pharmacy academy has addressed the COVID-19 pandemic and help rethink crisis response models.