Perceptions of dental faculty and students of E-learning and its application in a public sector Dental College in Karachi, Pakistan

Objective: To assess e-learning resources and its application in dentistry among students and faculty of a dental college. Methods: The qualitative study was conducted at Dow International Dental College, Karachi, from April to July 2017, and comprised semi-structured one-to-one interviews of undergraduate and postgraduate dental students as well as faculty members. A questionnaire was used to collect data about the way learners were using computer or smart phones in addition to conventional learning. The data was analysed through analysis of themes that included familiarisation, identification of a theme framework, indexing, charting, followed by mapping and interpretation. Results: There were 21 subjects in the study. The use of smart phones was still limited to communication majorly. Majority of students utilised online resources like e-books and online searches. Faculty members used computers for reading articles and research. Conclusion: Blended asynchronous e-learning strategies were being practised by dental students and faculty.