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TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology - April 2015, volume 14 issue 2
E-Learning Readiness in Medicine: Turkish Family Medicine (FM) Physicians Case
Dr. Alaattin Parlakkih?
Gulhane Military Medical Academy
Medical Informatics Department, Turkey
apkilic@gata. edu. tr
ABSTRACT
This research investigates e-learning readiness level of family medicine physicians (FM) in Turkey. The study
measures the level of e-learning readiness of Turkish FM physicians by an online e-learning readiness survey.
According to results five areas are ready at Turkish FM physicians but need a few improvements:
equipment/infrastructure, online learning style readiness, technological skills readiness, cultural readiness,
financial readiness. Three areas are not ready and need some work to improve their readiness: Human resource
readiness, attitude readiness, and environmental readiness. Finally, the outcomes of e-learning readiness
indicate that the Turkish Family Medicine Physicians are ready for adopting e-learning. The overall results show
that the e-learning readiness level at Turkish FM physicians has been 68,28 %, and ready but needs a few
improvements for e-learning.
Keywords: E-Learning Readiness, Medical Education, Family Medicine Phyisicans,Readiness Level.
INTRODUCTION
Working conditions and office hours are intense for family medicine (FM) physicians in Turkey. By March 2014
that there have been more than 21000 family medicine physicians in Turkey, with more than 3,500 patients per
physician. Flow can training effectively occur when physicians leave their medical center or facility? Under this
conditions family medicine physicians may not find opportunities for tradational courses but can attend e-
learning courses. Since much of the knowledge acquisition occurs outside of working hours, e-learning is a
supportive tool in continuing medical education.
The research aims to investigate e-learning readiness for proposing a successful e-learning design for family
medicine (FM) physicians in Turkey. Subsequently, it addresses requirements to implement a successful e-
learning system. The research focused on e-learning readiness by a deviced survey instrument from previous
studies for the research context; assessing family medicine (FM) physicians e-learning readiness; and identifying
factors that need to propose a successful e-learning design.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Health professionals have to update their knowledge in medical sciences, technologies and techniques. This is
called continuing professional education (CPE) or continuing medical education (CME). CME is an
indispensable part of the working life of physicians and health professionals (Fordis, King,&Ballantyne, 2005).
The use of e-learning enables medical students to engage with high quality teachers and doctors around the
world in both real time and at asynchronous learning events (Edward et al.,2006). In medical education, content
can be delivered either synchronously or asynchronously. Synchronous delivery refers to real-time, instructor-led
e-learning, where all learners receive information simultaneously and communicate directly with other learners.
With asynchronous delivery, the transmission and receipt of information do not occur simultaneously. The
learners are responsible for pacing their own self- instruction and learning. The instructor and learners
communicate using e-mail or feedback technologies, but not in real time. Synchronous content delivery is hard
to achieve in medical education without some preconditions needed such as high speed Internet connections, free
access to computers and high computer skills of students and teachers (Masic, 2008).
The e-learning readiness dimensions
A number of instruments have been developed to assess e-learning readiness. Aydin and Tasci (2005) developed
an E-Learning Readiness Survey (ELRS) to assess how managers perceive their institution’s readiness for e-
learning in Turkey and to investigate whether managers’ demographic characteristics (gender, age, education,
and computer experience) differentiate their perception of institutional readiness for e-leaming. The study
revealed that although the companies surveyed were ready for e-learning overall, to successfully implement e-
leaming they needed to improve their human resources. The results confirmed that gender, age, education level,
and computer experience had no effect on participants’ overall perception of institutional readiness.
Abas, Kaur, and Harun (2004 developed an “E-Learning Readiness (ELR) “instrument to assess e-learning
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TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology - April 2015, volume 14 issue 2
readiness in Malaysia. The study confirmed that enablers and receivers were less ready than policy makers and
providers. Financial assistance was required to improve the infrastructure in Malaysia and enablers and
receivers need content, technical, and environmental improvements. Tertiary Students’ Readiness For Online
Learning (TSROL) was developed by Pillay, Irving, and Tones (2007). With this study, learner preferences,
technical skills and computer self-efficacy be improved by adopting a more multidimensional interpretation of
the learning preferences and attitudes towards computers. Sadik (2007) developed an instrument to measure
individual readiness to develop and implement e-learning (IRDI-EL). The study revealed that competencies,
experience and attitudes affect faculty’s individual readiness to successfully develop and implement e-learning
approaches. The E-Learning Readiness Self-Assessment (ELRSA) was developed by Watkins, Leigh, and Triner
(2004) to assess the readiness of individual learners who have no previous e-learning experience. The
researchers claimed technology access', online skills and relationships', motivation', online audio/video\ Internet
discussions', and importance to your success were reliable from the perspective of learners.
In this study, the e-learning readiness dimensions have been grouped into eight dimensions based on previous
researches. The dimensions are as follows:
• Technological skills readiness: It refers to the observable and measurable technical competencies
involving users’ capabilities with computers and the Internet.
• Online learning style readiness: It is defined as the readiness of the learner or trainee in terms of time
commitment to e-learning, discipline and interest in e-learning and the perception of the status of
qualifications obtained via e-learning.
• Equipment/infrastructure readiness: This dimension is defined as the right equipment/infrastructure
readiness, provision of technical support, e-learning content delivery, and a LMS adopted by the
organizations.
• Attitude readiness: User attitudes are factors that influence the use of technology. Attitude readiness in
this study involves confidence, enjoyment, importance, motivation, self-development, and anxiety.
• Human resources readiness: It is the availability and design of the human support system.
• Environmental readiness: It involves the readiness of the institution as a whole in terms of
government policy, the role of mass media, and intellectual property regulations.
• Cultural readiness: It is the use of e-learning in terms of Internet use and networked technologies to
disseminate information, communication, interaction and teaching.
• Financial readiness: This concept refers to whether a learner/trainee or an institution is financially
ready for e-learning programs.
METHOD
The research employed a quantitative method based on survey. Data was collected through an e-learning
readiness survey. To measure e-learning readiness, the study proposes eight dimensions of readiness drawn from
the literature review: (1) technological skills readiness', (2) online learning style readiness', (3) equipment
/infrastructure readiness', (4) attitude readiness', (5) human resource readiness', (6) environmental readiness', (7)
cultural readiness', and (8) financial readiness. The questionnaire was divided into three sections: A, B, and C.
Section A: Demographic-contains five questions to collect demographic characteristics from the individuals
including age, gender, education level, the institution they belong to, and their position in the institution. Section
B: Communication issues - contains four questions to collect individuals’ communication and internet access
information. Section C: E-learning readiness dimensions.
RESULTS
Online survey was administered to the physicians of Turkish FM. Online survey was administered to the
physicians of Turkish FM and a total of 1172 family physicians,71.8% of the men and 28,2% women, attended
to survey 87.8% physicians are married. This section addresses the level of readiness for Family Medicine
Physicians in Turkey in each dimension, and identifies critical factors that need to be considered in order to
implement successful e-learning framework.
The assessment of readiness in this study was developed based on an process used by Aydin and Tasci (2005). A
five-point Likert scale in which each answer was coded into 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 therefore the critical level was 0.8
(4 intervals divided by 5 categories) considering 66,64 (3.4) as the expected level of readiness. Tablel presents
the percentages of e-learning readiness for implementing Family Medicine Physicians in Turkey. The level of
readiness in each dimension was assessed individually. Three areas are not ready and need some work to
improve their readiness: Human resource readiness, attitude readiness, and environmental readiness.
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TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology - April 2015, volume 14 issue 2
Tablel.E-learning readiness of Turkish FM Physicians
Equipment/infrastructure readiness
% 77,64
Online learning style readiness
% 75,13
Technological skills readiness
% 74,47
Cultural readiness
% 73,81
Financial readiness
% 73,26
Human resource readiness
% 65,86
Attitude readiness
% 64,22
Environmental readiness
% 52,6
Overall Readiness
% 68,28
Technological skills readiness: Technological skills readiness refers to observable and measurable technical
competencies. Previous studies indicate that this dimension is very important for adopting e-learning (Abas,
Kaur, & Karun, 2004; Aydin &Tasci, 2005; Chapnick,2000; Pillay et al., 2007; Sadik, 2007; Watkins et ah,
2004). The results show that the level of technological skills readiness at Turkish FM was ready at 74,47%, and
ready but needs a few improvements for readiness.
Online learning style readiness'. Online learning style readiness involves learners’ readiness in terms of
time commitment to e-learning, discipline and interest in e-learning, and perception of the status of qualifications
obtained via e-learning. Previous studies considered this dimension to be important (Pillay et ah, 2007; Watkins
et ah, 2004). The results show that the level of online learning style readiness at Turkish FM was ready at
75,13%, and ready but needs a few improvements for readiness
Equipment /Infrastructure readiness'. Infrastructure/equipment readiness refers to the provision of technical
support, e-learning content delivery, broadband facilities, and a Learning Management System (LMS) by the
institutions who adopt the systems. Connectivity and physical communications infrastructure are the foundation
of electronic-readiness for family medicine (EIU & IBM, 2008). The results show that the level of
infrastructure/equipment readiness at Turkish FM was ready at 77,64%, and ready but needs a few improvements
for readiness.
Attitude readiness: Attitude readiness involves confidence, enjoyment, importance, motivation, self
development,and anxiety. Attitude readiness ranked at 64,22%, indicating that it is not ready but needs some
work and improvements. Previous studies noted that attitude directly affects individual readiness for e-learning
(Aydin &Tasci, 2005; Pillay et ah, 2007; Sadik, 2007;Watkin et.ah,2004).
Human resource readiness : Human resources readiness is the availability and design of the human support
system including management (having a vision/mission or formulated policies related to the provision of e-
learning and the institutional recognition of qualifications obtained via e-leaming) and personnel. The results
show that the level of human resources readiness at Turkish FM was ready at 65,86%, and not ready needs some
work for readiness. This dimension is vital (Abas, Kaur, & Karan, 2004; Aydin &Tasci,2005;Sadik,2007).
Environmental readiness: Environmental readiness refers to the level of readiness of a society/nation for e-
learning as perceived by stakeholders (policy makers, providers, enablers, and learners/trainees) from within and
outside the institution, and involves the readiness of the institution as a whole in terms of government policy, the
role of mass media, and intellectual property regulations.The results show that the level of environmental
readiness at Turkish FM was ready at 52,6%, and not ready and needs some work for readiness.
Cultural readiness: Cultural readiness refers to acceptance of Internet use and network technologies as a mode
for information dissemination, communication, interaction, and teaching; and the readiness for making e-
learning a way of life in their institution. Culture towards significantly affects implementation. The results show
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TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology - April 2015, volume 14 issue 2
that the level of cultural readiness at Turkish FM was ready at 73,81%, and ready but needs a few improvements
for readiness.
Financial readiness: Financial readiness refers to the ability to afford the required equipment and facilities for
e-learning implementation as perceived by policy makers, enablers, and learners/trainees. The level of readiness
on financial readiness was a low 73,26% indicating that it was moderately ready and people can afford and ready
but needs a few improvements for readiness.
CONCLUSION
The level of readiness in each dimension was assessed individually. According to results five areas have been
seen that are ready but need a few improvements. These areas are equipment/infrastructure readiness, Online
learning style readiness. Technological skills readiness, cultural readiness, and Financial readiness. Three areas
are not ready and need some work to improve. These areas are Fluman resource readiness, Attitude readiness,
and Environmental readiness. The results show that the level readiness at Turkish FM was ready at 68,28 %, and
ready but needs a few improvements for e-learning readiness. With this study, the e-learning readiness
requirements were updated and implemented for family medicine physicians comprehensively.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank for the scholarship granted to me by The Scientific and Technological Research Council
of Turkey ( Tiirkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Aragtirma Kurumu, TUBITAK).This study is one of the outcomes of
my study as a post doctorate scholar in the University of Missouri-Kansas City in USA.
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