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. 2021 Jun 15:29:85-92.
doi: 10.1016/j.ctro.2021.06.001. eCollection 2021 Jul.

Impact of transitioning to an online course - A report from the ESTRO gyn teaching course

L T Tan  1 , K Tanderup  2 , A Nappa  3 , P Petric  4 , I M Jürgenliemk-Schulz  5 , M Serban  6 , J V Swamidas  7 , M Palmu  3 , S L Duke  1 , U Mahantshetty  7 , N Nesvacil  8 , R C Pötter  8 , R A Nout  9
Affiliations

Impact of transitioning to an online course - A report from the ESTRO gyn teaching course

L T Tan et al. Clin Transl Radiat Oncol. .

Abstract

Introduction: In 2020, the ESTRO course on image-guided radiotherapy and chemotherapy in gynaecological cancer was converted into an online version due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper describes the change process and evaluates the impact on participants compared with previous live courses.

Methods and materials: The 2019 live course contained 41 h of educational content, comprising 33 h of synchronous activities (lectures, interactive activities, videos) and 8 h of homework (contouring, dose planning). For the online course, the lectures were provided as pre-course material (11 mandatory, 22 optional). Contouring/dose planning homework was unchanged. The synchronous sessions were reconfigured as six 2-hour webinars (total educational content ~38 h).Participant numbers/characteristics, engagement and satisfaction for six live courses and the online course were compared.

Results: Participant numbers for the online and live courses were similar (90 vs. mean 96). There were more participants from outside Europe (28% vs. mean 18%) and more non-doctors (47% vs. mean 33%). Proportion of participants responding to the pre-course questionnaire was similar (77% vs. mean 78%) but post-course questionnaire response was lower (62% vs. mean 92%).43% participants viewed ≥75% of mandatory lectures before the webinars. 86% viewed the optional lectures. Submissions of contouring and dose planning homework was higher (contouring 77%-90% vs. 56%-69%, dose planning 74%-89% vs. 29%-57%).96% (47/49) participants rated the online course as Excellent (43%) or Good (53%). Overall satisfaction was similar (4.4 vs. mean 4.6).

Conclusion: Participant satisfaction and engagement with the online course remained high despite less contact time with faculty.

Keywords: Cervix; ESTRO; Education; Image-guided brachytherapy; Intensity-modulated radiotherapy; Online; Training.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Kari Tanderup reports grants from Danish Cancer Society, grants from Varian Medical Systems, grants from Elekta, outside the submitted work. Remi Nout reports grants from Dutch Cancer Society, grants from Dutch Research Council, grants from Elekta, grants from Varian, grants from Accuray, outside the submitted work.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Timeline of changes to the ESTRO gyn teaching course.
Fig. 2a
Fig. 2a
Number of participants.
Fig. 2b
Fig. 2b
Participants by country of origin.
Fig. 2c
Fig. 2c
Participants by profession.
Fig. 3a
Fig. 3a
Proportion of radiation/clinical oncologists submitting contouring homework.
Fig. 3b
Fig. 3b
Proportion of physicists/dosimetrists submitting dose planning homework.
Fig. 3c
Fig. 3c
Response to pre- and post-course questionnaires.
Fig. 4a
Fig. 4a
Word cloud of “liked most” comments in post-course questionnaire.
Fig. 4b
Fig. 4b
Word cloud of “dislike” comments in post-course questionnaire.
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References

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