Environmental and Occupational Health Students’ Attitudes Toward Social Media in Online Learning During the COVID-۱۹ Pandemic

Background: Individuals engaged in education and health currently during the coronavirus disease ۲۰۱۹ (COVID-۱۹) pandemic find it urgent to avail themselves of high-speed communication and information technology.Objectives: This survey was conducted to investigate the attitudes of environmental and occupational health students toward Social Media (SM) use in online learning during the COVID-۱۹ pandemic.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study which its population consisted of ۳۷۵ environmental and occupational health students studying at Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran, in the academic year ۲۰۲۰-۲۰۲۱. The present study followed a quantitative design using the Social Media Attitude Scale designed by Otrar and Argin. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version ۲۶) and paired t-test.Results: The participants were within the age range of ۱۸-۴۶ years, and ۶۴.۸% of them were female. Instagram was the most popular SM (frequency of use: ۴۰%). Twitter (۲۷%), Facebook (۲۰%), and LinkedIn (۱۳%) were placed in the next ranks. The need for sharing (۶۱.۴±۱۴.۹۳) was the most preferred dimension of SM. Social competence (۵۴.۲۳±۵.۱۷), social isolation (۵۱.۳۳±۴.۴۳), and relationship with teachers (۴۰.۶۳±۹.۷) were placed in the next ranks. Moreover, there was no significant difference between environmental and occupational health students’ attitudes toward SM (P>۰.۰۱).Conclusion: Medical universities can use SM for educational purposes by designing a forum for study or helping students with health skills. However, researchers should be aware of health science students’ attitudes toward SM before developing such programs.

Keywords:

COVID-۱۹ , Pandemics , Social media , Medical sciences , Students , Attitude