Understanding how pharmacy, occupational therapy and nursing-midwifery students utilise lectures as learning opportunities: A mixed methods study informing post-COVID-19 pandemic return to campus

Daniel Malone; Clifford Connell; Alana Hewitt; Ted Brown

doi:10.11157/fohpe.v24i4.649

Authors

Daniel Malone Monash University, Australia
Clifford Connell Monash University, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2765-6355
Alana Hewitt Monash University, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0332-8418
Ted Brown Monash University, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9403-5877

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11157/fohpe.v24i4.649

Keywords:

lecture attendance, nursing students, midwifery students, occupational therapy students, pharmacy students, education

Abstract

Introduction: Many universities switched to distance learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As universities move to a post-COVID-19 normal, it is important for educators to be aware of what factors influence learners’ face-to-face lecture attendance. This study investigated what factors impacted nursing-midwifery, pharmacy and occupational therapy students’ pre-COVID-19 lecture attendance.

Methods: Using a positivist mixed-methods approach, third-year nursing-midwifery (n = 350), pharmacy (n = 24) and occupational therapy (n = 42) students completed a survey with quantitative and open-ended questions that asked students about what factors influenced them to attend and not attend face-to-face lectures. T-tests and Spearman correlations were used to analyse the quantitative data. A qualitative inductive approach was used to code the open-ended questions response data into themes.

Results: Occupational therapy and pharmacy students were more positive about the lectures in their programs than nursing-midwifery students. They also valued lecture quality and style more than nursing-midwifery students, who valued a convenient schedule. All three student cohorts valued engaging and enthusiastic lecturers and reported similar reasons for lecture attendance regarding the physical learning environment, other life- and work-related time commitments and the commuting distance to campus.

Conclusions: While there was agreement on many factors affecting lecture attendance across the three student cohorts, occupational therapy and pharmacy students placed more value on lecture style and presentation, whilst nursing-midwifery students placed more importance on when lectures were scheduled. These results have and will inform factors to consider regarding on campus lecture attendance post-COVID.

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