Implementation of digital teaching in psychiatry as consequence of COVID-19: a comparative evaluation with classroom teaching

Background In response to the coronavirus pandemic, most universities implemented digital teaching at short notice for the summer semester 2020 (SS20), whereas they simultaneously shut down classroom teaching. In the psychiatric clinic of the University Medical Center Gottingen, students' ratings concerning the learning effect and their substantive assessment for both forms of teaching were comparatively evaluated to determine the quality of this process. Material and methods Overall, 350 students who had visited classroom teaching (winter semester, WS18/19 to WS19/20) vs. digital teaching (SS20) assessed their form of teaching post hoc, within a standardized survey. They rated the individual learning effect in seven psychiatric subjects and did a substantive assessment on eight dimensions. In addition, they rated their expenditure of time. Results For digital teaching, the individual learning effect was rated as either being equivalent or superior (subjects: psychotherapy, schizophrenia). Despite a significantly heightened expenditure of time, digital teaching was substantively assessed as being equivalent to classroom teaching or superior (dimensions: independent processing of learning goals, overall format of lecture). Concerning their anticipated preparation for the professional practice, students rated digital teaching as being inferior to classroom teaching. Conclusion A pandemic-driven conversion from classroom to digital teaching did not result in a loss of quality on the dimensions measured in this comparative evaluation. With a view to professional practice, digital teaching should complement classroom teaching and be part of future curricula.