Using the Virtual Team Member Teaching Design (V-TMTD) in Medical Basic Sciences course during the Covid-19 pandemic: An Action Research Study

During the Covid-19 pandemic, basic medical education has been generally provided through virtual education along with assignments through the electronic systems. Cooperative learning is one of the appropriate educational methods. This study endeavored to improve teaching in virtual duration using the Virtual Team Member Teaching Design (V-TMTD).

This study was action research. The population was medical students of Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences. Participants were all medical students in the neurophysiology course of Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences during the Covid-19 pandemic in the academic years 2020-2021. In the first semester, the teaching of neurophysiology course was done through virtual education with the presentation of individual assignments, and in the second semester, along with virtual education, the virtual V-TMTD method was used. Students' academic achievement was assessed by comparing the final scores of the two groups. The groups were compared by paired t-test and independent t-test.

In the groups, the effect of V-TMTD on students' academic achievement was shown. The mean and standard deviation of the scores of the students in the experimental group after V-TMTD training was 15.64±0.21 and in the virtual education group with assignments was 13.90±0.24 out of a total score of 20.

Virtual education method with V-TMTD was superior to students' academic achievement with virtual education method with assignments presentation. Using participatory methods in e-learning, the weakness of this type of education during the corona pandemic can be covered.