COVID 19 impact: NMC introduces module on Online Learning and Assessment in MBBS Curriculum, details
New Delhi: In light of the coronavirus pandemic which has brought forward the need for online teaching in medical courses, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has recently released a module on Online learning and Assessment to be a part of the new MBBS curriculum.
For the purpose of the module, the NMC has described online learning as "'learning that occurs entirely (purely online learning) or partially (blended learning) through the internet" .
Further, the council makes use of several terms such as online learning, synchronous learning, Asynchronous learning, distance learning, e-learning
Asynchronous learning: A learning event in which teachers and students participate at different times. Generally, there is no real-time interaction between the teacher and the students.
Blended learning: Learning which integrates online learning with conventional face-toface (f2f) teaching. Also called 'hybrid learning'
Synchronous learning: A learning event in which teachers and learners engage at the same time. The place may be same or different. It is conventionally used in the context of online learning
Distance learning: A form of remote teaching-learning method where media replaces word of mouth as the sole means of academic communication. There is often a spatial distance between the teacher and the student.
" The implementation of new competency-based Undergraduate the curriculum across medical colleges in India required training of medical college teachers in the various changes built into the outcome-driven new curriculum, year wise. To achieve this, the Expert Group, advising academic matters developed a sequential step-wise Curriculum Implementation Support Program (CISP) which included a number of training modalities like Faculty Guides, Learning Resource materials and in-situ training of teaching faculty of colleges through a multi-tier Faculty Development Program. The successful implementation of CISP I in the first year of the teaching of the new UG curriculum was a major achievement," Dr RK Vats, Secretary National Medical Commission stated in its forward
" The COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020 posed a major setback to our efforts to train medical college faculty on changes incorporated in the second year of the new UG curriculum wherein the major challenge of horizontal and vertical integration of curriculum were built in addition to new teaching learning modalities like Learner-doctor method of clinical training(Clinical Clerkship). This challenge forced the academic cell and the expert Group advising the National Medical Commission to explore Online teaching-learning and assessment modalities. This module on Online learning and Assessment is the outcome of these efforts and provides valuable and much-needed information to medical college faculty. I hope the information contained herein will be useful to students , teachers and institutions interested in virtual teaching," he added
Besides laying down the pros and cons of online learning, the module also takes a cue from the CBME document of Medical Council of India (2018)15 that recommends e-learning at the differnet junctures. The module delves on various aspects on online learning including its pedagogy, Good online teaching practice,Teacher roles, competencies and skills required for online teaching, Technology and implementation for online teaching, teaching procedural skills online, Teaching health humanities online,online assessment as well as quality assurance.
To read the full details of the module, click on the following link
