Perception of undergraduates and postgraduates pertaining online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Cross-sectional Study amongst Sudanese Health Professional Students

Abstract Background: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted all aspects of life including educational services due to partial and complete lockdown. In Sudan, education is based on the traditional method of learning (face-to-face lectures) in a classroom. However, the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 made some educational institutes especially Universities and colleges resort to online learning. This study aimed to assess the Perception of Health professional students included under and postgraduates concerning the possible application of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sudan 2020.Methods: A Cross-Sectional study was conducted amongst Sudanese Health professional Students, included Undergraduates and postgraduates. A convenient sample collection method was used via a self-administrated online structured questionnaire of nineteen questions, which were validated by a medical education expert. The perception was assessed and data were analyzed using a statistical package for social science (SPSS).Results: A total of 133 Health Professional students responded to the web questionnaire.97 (73%) were undergraduates and 36(27%) were postgraduates. Among undergraduates, 58(59.8%) were expressing positive perception, while 39(40.2%) had a negative perception. Whereas 24 (66.7%) of Postgraduates had positive perceptions and 12(33.3%) of them expressed a negative perception about online learning.Conclusions: Postgraduate health professionals are more familiar and stating a higher level of perception compared to the undergraduates, furthermore, several students already were exposed to hybrid online learning during the current COVID-19 Pandemic. Several obstacles to the implementation of online learning in Sudan were noticed by the participating students in this study, which must be appropriately managed for the successful implantation of this mode of learning.