The Effect of Distance Educationon the Professional Competence and Academic Motivation of Midwifery Students: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the online teaching model has been used for the first time, and this has led to significant changes in departments such as midwifery, where theory and practice are combined. This study aimed to determine the effect of distance education on the professional competence and academic motivation of midwifery students. This study was carried out at a national university in Kastamonu, Türkiye between March and September 2021. The study adopted a qualitative design, and participants (n = 20) were the third-year midwifery students. Data were collected by conducting in-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews using a pilot-tested interview guide. The interviews were conducted through webinars and the interviews were recorded. The interviews were held in a relaxed and calm environment where both researchers were present. The interviews were conducted with no more than two students in one day and the interview records were transcribed on the same day. Each interview lasted about 40 minutes. The researchers followed a systematic data analysis procedure which is an appropriate method of analysis when aiming to create knowledge based on experiences and meanings from cross-case analysis. The third-year midwifery students closest to graduating from the Faculty of Health Sciences participated in the study. With the individual and in-depth interviews, the responses of the midwifery students were subsumed under the following six themes: (1) ‘a new learning experience, (2) reluctance to learn new information, (3) inadequacy in professional skills, (4) lack of self-confidence, (5) not being able to join a multidisciplinary team, (6) anxiety about future professional life'. It has been determined that distance education in midwifery education in Türkiye has many pleasing and facilitating features as well as obstructive and worrying aspects. In addition, online education negatively affected the psychomotor skill development of students. It is recommended that institutions providing education to midwifery students be aware of the difficulties experienced and follow different methods for psychomotor skills training.