Medical Student Perceptions of Integration of a Customized Cloud Based Learning Operating System into Problem Based Learning Tutorials

Since its inception, the College of Medicine and Medical Sciences (CMMS) at the Arabian Gulf University (AGU) has adopted the problem based (PBL) pedagogy in Medicine relying on paper-based trigger material. However, delivery of such paper-based triggers during tutorial sessions was not optimal to promote medical student interactivity and engagement within tutorial sessions. As involvement of multimedia resources and tools in PBL are more valuable than simple print textual modes of learning and can have a positive impact on learning and knowledge integration, we aimed to digitize all our trigger material. Over the past three years CMMS has integrated after customization to PBL standards, the cloud-based operating system, UNIO into its problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum. The aim of UNIO integration was to digitize text triggers and enhance the quality of visual triggers in order to improve medical student interactivity and engagement within tutorial sessions. UNIO electronic platform was customized from a teacher-centered design to fit a PBL pedagogy. It was utilized to link student and tutor hardware within a group together for promoting interaction and collaborative learning. The effect of this teaching approach was evaluated from student responses to an in-house validated survey at the end of the fifth PBL module. Customization and integration of UNIO within the PBL curriculum resulted in an entirely paperless learning process. It created an integrated PBL system combining conventional text trigger in a digital form with digital media such as images, videos and other multimedia, while maintaining face-to-face setup. It also provided online and off-live access to content embedded at campus and open access to open source content online to both tutors and students. Results of the student satisfaction survey pointed to a predominantly neutral attitude towards integration of UNIO within our PBL tutorial sessions, but the item related to effectiveness of media triggers within UNIO received favorable responses from students. Further evaluation for a longer term is necessary for additional student feedback. Other forms of evaluation may be required in the aim of improvement and for justification of subsequent implementation of UNIO within our PBL curriculum.