E-learning from the Perspective of the Non-Clinical Professors of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences: Attitudes and Challenges

The use of e-learning in medical education is one of the key issues in the development of information technology; and it would be as a challenge in the future. The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes of two groups of faculty members who use e-learning and those who have not experienced the use of e-learning. Finally, the challenges of using e-learning from the perspective of professors are examined. In this cross-sectional study which was carried out in 1396 in Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, 86 of the professors were entered into the study using the stratified sampling method. The data gathering tool was a researcher-made questionnaire in three sections, including demographic information, attitude and challenges. After confirming the validity by experts, reliability of the questionnaire was determined 0.76 using Cronbach's alpha. Descriptive and inferential statistics methods and SPSS version 16 were used to analyze the obtained data. Professors who had an experience of implementation of e-learning, 69.5% had a positive attitude toward using it and 16.9% had negative attitude. Also, there was a significant relationship between the attitude of the professors using e-learning and their scientific ranking. Regarding the professors with no experience in using e-learning, there was a significant relationship between their attitude, age and teaching history. By identifying the positive effects of e-learning such as helping learning, it may be possible to achieve more favorable outcomes in improving the attitude level of faculty members of the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences and universities with similar situation.