Assessment of pharmacy students’ engagement in using national e-learning resources: a study from a public university in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

PURPOSE: E-learning platforms and online modules are powerful tools that enable students to learn flexibly and have personalized experiences. Saudi Digital Library (SDL) is a national e-learning resource in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Although it has been reported that SDL is accessible to all pharmacy students in Saudi Arabia, its use remains questionable. Therefore, the current study was undertaken to examine SDL utilization rates, barriers, self-motivation, and interest among pharmacy students at a public university in southern Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based online study was conducted for six months during the academic year of 2022-2023. Irrespective of gender, all the pharmacy students undertaking undergraduate pharmacy programs, such as BSc. Pharm or Pharm.D at King Khalid University (KKU), Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, were invited to participate in the current study. The relationships between participants' characteristics and their responses were analysed using chi-square tests and regression analyses. RESULTS: Around 61.7% of the study participants were aware of SDL. The study revealed that the limited use of SDL e-learning resources, with 59.9% of participants indicating they had not used these services in the past year. A significant difference in the usage was identified between the male and female students (p = 0.042). Google was the primary search tool used by students (65.4%), while specialized sources such as Saudi digital libraries accounted for only 4.9% of total searches. Instructors lacked training and motivation, and 65% of participants reported insufficient guidance on e-learning use. Furthermore, the language barrier was identified as a significant obstacle (p = 0.024). Despite these barriers, more than 50% of participants showed keen interest in learning about e-learning resources and recognized their advantages over traditional resources. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the importance of enhancing student awareness and training, which the teaching faculty can effectively facilitate. Gender-specific workshops can be conducted to improve the use of SDL. In addition, stronger institutional support will optimize the effective use of e-learning resources, such as SDL, among pharmacy students.

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