Research by: Yogi Tri Prasetyo, Ralph Andre C. Roque, Thanatorn Chuenyindee, Michael Nayat Young, John Francis T. Diaz, Satria Fadil Persada, Bobby Ardiansyah Miraja, and Anak Agung Ngurah Perwira Redi
Executive Summary
Electronic learning (eLearning) has been the medium of delivery of medical educational institutions to address the scarcity of medical professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, including in the Philippines. Despite having one of the strictest and longest lockdowns in the world, the Professional Regulation Commission of the Philippines (PRC) and the Professional Regulatory Board of Medicine recognize the urgent need for physicians for continuing medical education. However, limited studies have been conducted so far particularly related to eLearning for medical students in the Philippines. Moreover, due to the sudden quarantine measures imposed by the government, medical schools only had a short time frame to restructure their curriculum, train faculty, and prepare students for eLearning.
In this study, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) was extended to determine the factors affecting the acceptance of eLearning platforms to medical education in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 360 medical students voluntary participated and answered an online questionnaire that consisted of 40 questions. They were taking the Doctor of Medicine program at accredited medical educational institutions in the Philippines that utilize eLearning platforms. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the data was gathered through a survey questionnaire created using Google forms.
Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) indicated that performance expectancy was found to have the highest effect on behavioral intention, which was followed by learning value and instructor characteristics. The usefulness, the perceived accomplishment, the perceived productivity, and the perceived achievements were significant indicators that led to the behavioral intentions. Interestingly, PE was also found as the strongest predictor of behavioral intention.
Learning Value was found to have a positive effect on Behavioral Intention. The values such as worthiness, flexibility, usefulness, and well content of the eLearning platform were the key indicators that led to the behavioral intentions.
Instructor Characteristics was found to have a positive effect on Behavioral Intention. Instructor attitudes, such as being able to fully utilize the eLearning platform, keep answering questions, keep encouraging and motivating, were some key indicators that led to the utilization of the eLearning platform among medical students. A high behavioral intention was found to affect the actual use of eLearning platforms. Interestingly, social influence and habit were found not to be significant to behavioral intentions.
This is the first study that has explored the acceptance of eLearning platforms among medical students in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings can be a theoretical guideline of the Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines for eLearning platforms. Finally, the framework would be very valuable for enhancing the open innovation in eLearning platforms in medical fields worldwide. There should exist a system to evaluate the quality of eLearning material through some form of feedback from participants. The government, administrators, and faculty members need to collaborate to enhance the performance of the eLearning platform to enhance its utilization among medical students. This study provides a significant and timely contribution in terms of the technological reputation of HEIs, the perspective of the students, and the effectiveness of the eLearning platform.
To cite this article: Prasetyo, Y. T., Roque, R. A. C., Chuenyindee, T., Young, M. N., Diaz, J. F. T., Persada, S. F., Miraja, B. A., et al. (2021). Determining factors affecting the acceptance of medical education eLearning platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines: UTAUT2 Approach. Healthcare, 9(7), 780. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9070780
To access this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9070780
About the journal
Healthcare is an international, scientific, peer-reviewed, open access journal on health care systems, industry, technology, policy, and regulation, and is published monthly online by MDPI. Ocular Wellness & Nutrition Society (OWNS) is affiliated with Healthcare and the members receive a discount on article processing charges.
