This study is the first of its kind in the Arab world and it aimed to reveal Arab pharmacists and pharmacy students' familiarity with e-learning in transferring pharmaceutical knowledge. It aims to explore their usage of the internet and social media and the frequency of using web 2.0 tools in their daily lives. This study is a cross-sectional study that targeted Arab pharmacists and pharmacy students using social media sites in their daily lives. Six hundred and eighty respondents completed the online survey, and most of them were 18-30 years old, females, and possessing their internet connection. Most respondents (n=491, 72.2%) had intermediate computer and internet skills and used the internet for educational purposes (n=609, 89.6%). Almost all of the respondents (n=635, 93.4%) were using the internet daily and more than half of them (n=360, 53.0%) used social media and web 2.0 tools for more than two hours daily. More than half of the respondents were not familiar with e-learning (n=367, 54.0%), and most of them did not attend any online course ever (n=484, 71.2%). Almost all of the participants had either intermediate or high confidence levels in e-learning (n=669, 98.4%) and the vast majority of them were confident of using web 2.0 tools as learning aids which motivated them to learn interactively (n=548, 80.6%; n=524, 77% respectively). This study showed promising results regarding implementing e-learning and novel web 2.0 tools in pharmacy.
1. Lee LA, Wang SL, Chao YP, Tsai MS, Hsin LJ, Kang CJ, et al. Mobile Technology in E-Learning for Undergraduate Medical Education on Emergent Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Disorders: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Med Educ. 2018;4(1):e9237.
2. Huynh R. The role of E-learning in medical education. Acad Med. 2017;92(4):430.
3. Olum R, Atulinda L, Kigozi E, Nassozi DR, Mulekwa A, Bongomin F, et al. Medical Education and E-Learning During COVID-19 Pandemic: Awareness, Attitudes, Preferences, and Barriers Among Undergraduate Medicine and Nursing Students at Makerere University, Uganda. J Med Educ Curric Dev. 2020;7:2382120520973212.
4. Al-Wazaify M, Matowe L, Albsoul-Younes A, Al-Omran OA. Pharmacy education in jordan, saudi arabia, and kuwait. Am J Pharm Educ. 2006;70(1):18.
5. El-Awady ES, Moss S, Mottram D, O'Donnell J. Student perspectives on pharmacy curriculum and instruction in Egyptian schools. Am J Pharm Educ. 2006;70(1):9.
6. Kheir N, Zaidan M, Younes H, El Hajj M, Wilbur K, Jewesson PJ. Pharmacy education and practice in 13 Middle Eastern countries. Am J Pharm Educ. 2008;72(6):133.
7. Abdeen H, Zaben M, Shtaya A, Green C. The Value of E-Learning in the Palestinian Medical School. InProceedings of the 1st E-Learning Excellence Forum. 2008:15-8.
8. Alkoudmani RM, Elkalmi RM. Challenges to web-based learning in pharmacy education in Arabic language speaking countries. Arch Pharm Pract. 2015;6(3):41-7.
9. Aziz N, Wal A, Wal P, Pal RS. Preparation and Evaluation of the Polyherbal Powder: The Nature’s Pharmacy for the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complications. Pharmacophores. 2019;10(1):60-70.
10. Algahtani FD. Healthy Lifestyle among Ha'il University Students, Saudi Arabia. Int J Pharm Res Allied Sci. 2020;9(1):160-7.
11. Yusoff MS. ABC of content validation and content validity index calculation. Resource. 2019;11(2):49-54.
12. Pallant J. SPSS survival manual: A step by step guide to data analysis using IBM SPSS. Routledge; 2020.
13. Abdelhai R, Yassin S, Ahmad MF, Fors UG. An e-learning reproductive health module to support improved student learning and interaction: a prospective interventional study at a medical school in Egypt. BMC Med Educ. 2012;12(1):1-9.
14. Hall M, Hanna LA, Huey G. Use and views on social networking sites of pharmacy students in the United Kingdom. Am J Pharm Educ. 2013;77(1):9.
15. Zhang Y, Kim J, Awad NI, Cocchio C. Analysis of pharmacy student perceptions and attitudes toward web 2.0 tools for educational purposes. J Pharm Technol. 2015;31(3):127-34.
16. Conte N. Pharmacists attitudes toward using the internet to satisfy their continuing education needs: An exploratory study. Curr Pharm Teach Learn. 2012;4(3):180-7.
17. Freeman MK, Schrimsher RH, Kendrach MG. Student perceptions of online lectures and WebCT in an introductory drug information course. Am J Pharm Educ. 2006;70(6):126.
18. Baller S, Dutta S, Lanvin B. Global information technology report 2016. Geneva: Ouranos; 2016 Oct.
19. Regmi K, Jones L. A systematic review of the factors–enablers and barriers–affecting e-learning in health sciences education. BMC Med Educ. 2020;20:1-8.
20. Vitak J. Facebook as a research tool in the social and computer sciences. The SAGE handbook of social media research methods. 2017:627-45.
21. Kühne S, Zindel Z. Using Facebook and Instagram to Recruit Web Survey Participants: A Step-by-Step Guide and Application. Survey Methods: Insights from the Field (SMIF). 2020.
Copyright © 2024 Archives of Pharmacy Practice. Authors retain copyright of their article if they are accepted for publication.
Developed by Archives of Pharmacy Practice
