Improving the Quality of Surgical Education Using Blended Learning Techniques:A Scoping Review

Background: In recent years, new teaching techniques based on e-learning have gained morepopularity. Blended learning (BL) is one of the attractive teaching methods that is a combinationof traditional learning and e-learning that can provide the best learning format for teaching. Duringthe Covid-۱۹ epidemic, the use of BL as an alternative to face-to-face training is very promising.One of the essential areas for using this new technique is teaching topics related to "surgery". Thepurpose of this scoping review was to investigate BL techniques in surgical education and theireffectiveness in this field.Methods: This scoping review was conducted in June ۲۰۲۱. We searched PubMed, Scopus, andWeb of Science databases for retrieval of related articles without time limitation. Search strategieswere designed to fit any scientific database. The search strategy of each database was performedusing the keywords such as “Blended learning”, “Education”, and “Surgery”.Results: In total, ۲۳ articles were included in the final analysis. The results of the scoping reviewof the articles showed that the blended learning techniques used for the students included Flippedclassroom, A Web application, E-learning simulation, Virtual learning (VLE) tools, VirtualReality, Augmented reality, Haptic-Enabled Virtual Reality, Blended learning module,Asynchronous online discussion, Blended online curriculum, Robotics in surgery, Online Moodle,Online material, and E-learning module. Overall, ۹۱.۳۰% of the articles cited the effectiveness ofblended learning for education. Blended learning technique was used to teach the areas of Oral andmaxillofacial surgery, Medical subdomain ENT, Dental surgery, Otorhinolaryngology (ORL), Surgical skills training, Minimal invasive surgery, Surgical Cricothyroidotomy, Surgicaleducation, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Surgery course, laparoscopic cholecystectomy,Cardiopulmonary trauma surgical skills, and Spine surgery.Conclusion: The results emphasize the potential of BL for teaching different medical specialties.Blended learning based on e-learning increase learners

Keywords:

Blended learning , Surgery , Education , E-learning.