Assessment of the effect of virtual education courses of biostatistics according to "Concept-based learning" on the learning of Students

The present study aimed to assess the effect of asynchronous virtual education based on the concept-based learning approach in biostatistics on the satisfaction and learning of learners.

This is a quasi-experimental study that was conducted in 2022-2023. The participants were undergraduate health information management students. 31 undergraduate students were included in the intervention (n=19) and control (n=12) groups. The intervention group experienced virtual education based on concept-based learning and in the control group, virtual education based on classic electronic content was delivered. The feasibility and satisfaction of the educational e-learning source were evaluated using the Questionnaire for User Interface Satisfaction (QUIS) from the perspective of the students. The students' learning was assessed by scenario-based examination. The data were analyzed using descriptive tests, one-sample t-tests, and covariance analysis.

The results showed that the scores of the intervention group were 16.73 (0.80) and the control group was 14.5 (1.31), (P-Value<0.00001). Comparing the scores with the average score (16) showed that the scores of intervention group students were significantly higher than the average score. (P-Value=0.00001). The results showed that the scores of the control group were significantly lower than the average score. (P-Value = 0.002). The results of the evaluation of conceptual maps in the intervention group were reported by 18 (1.37) at the desired level.

The present results showed using a concept-based approach provides a suitable opportunity for meaningful learning. The use of a concept-based education approach was suggested in programs of virtual education.