key: cord-1053688-2on9alfb
authors: McGrath, Cormac; Palmgren, Per J.; Liljedahl, Matilda
title: Beyond brick and mortar: Staying connected in post‐pandemic blended learning environments
date: 2021-05-24
journal: Med Educ
DOI: 10.1111/medu.14546
sha: d96a04b93ed93f7a7884889aa4bb9a282d59197a
doc_id: 1053688
cord_uid: 2on9alfb

These are certainly unprecedented times and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has turned many ideas about teaching and learning in medical education on their head. Who would have thought that, overnight, brick and mortar universities would be providing education solely through digital means? This form of radical change comes along perhaps once in a lifetime, and currently we have not seen the full fallout, or the potential benefits from the sudden and dramatic shift in medical education. More than a year later, we still find ourselves telecommuting in front of our screens; teaching, supervising, and assessing.

These are certainly unprecedented times, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has turned many ideas about teaching and learning in medical education on their head. Who would have thought that, overnight, brick and mortar universities would be providing education solely through digital means? This form of radical change comes along perhaps once in a lifetime, and currently, we have not seen the full fallout, or the potential benefits from the sudden and dramatic shift in medical education. More than a year later, we still find ourselves telecommuting in front of our screens: teaching, supervising and assessing.

Who would have thought that overnight, brick and mortar universities would be providing education solely through digital means? 

It is widely acknowledged that becoming a healthcare professional to a great extent involves developing a sense of belonging and identify with the healthcare professional community. It is also recognised that medical education institutions need to provide students with a vocational orientation to foster this sense of belongingness and identify. Developing a sense of belonging requires close proximity to learning environments and peers. But, how can we provide such opportunities in digitised learning environments?

The paper by Van when physical interaction is no longer possible. It is further articulated that it is not only what we do in class that matters, but also, the things students and teachers do in-between class counts, as one student puts its; 'I like to walk downstairs after a discussion group. Then the chitchat starts'. Van A sense of belongingness and the development of a professional identity may very well depend on emotional and social dimensions of learning.

A sense of belongingness and the development of a professional identity may very well depend on emotional and social dimensions of learning. 6 In such situations, students need to be given opportunities not only to take part in professional communities, to observe and imitate role models and to 'act' as future professionals, 7 but also to grab a cup of coffee and blow off some steam after a heavy lecture. As we move towards post-pandemic learning environments, one of the challenges ahead lies in identifying ways of interacting on campus, as well as in blended learning contexts.

One of the challenges ahead lies in identifying ways of interacting on campus, as well as in blended learning contexts.

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Beyond brick and mortar: Staying connected in postpandemic blended learning environments