Social Media as an Emerging Learning Tool to Promote Inclusivity in Physiology Education - Comparing the Diversity in Opinions of Health Profession Students
Authors: Needamangalam Balaji Jyotsna , Surapaneni Krishna Mohan 
Published: May 2024

Background & Objectives: Digitalisation across the globe has massively expanded the use of the internet and technology which can benefit in making physiology education more diverse, inclusive and culturally responsive. Access to a wealth of educational resources through digital platforms has democratized learning, particularly in areas where physical resources may be limited. Social Media can enable students from diverse backgrounds to access physiology education from institutions worldwide, providing options that suit individual needs and schedules.The purpose of this study is to understand the role that social media could play as an effcient learning tool to promote an equitable and inclusive learning environment in physiology. Methods: This survey-based study was conducted among Health Profession students of the medical and nursing fields using a structured questionnaire with 12 items. The opinions of students towards using social media as an emerging learning tool in physiology education were obtained on a 5-point Likert scale and studied under 3 themes- i) Utility in Medical Education, iii) Dependence and iii) Personal Practices. The opinions were compared on the basis of time that medical and nursing students could dedicate to social media for learning owing to their busy academic schedule. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. The Mean and Standard Deviation (SD) of all continuous variables were descriptively analysed using univariate statistics and the differences were compared using T-test, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Mann–Whitney U test and Krushkall Wallis test were performed to identify differences in non-normal distribution. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS, version 17) for Microsoft Windows, SPSS Inc. USA was used. P value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Our study included 50% medical and 50% nursing students with over 90% of them using social media. Highly positive responses for the utility of social media in physiology education indicate welcoming attitudes towards technology-based learning to promote inclusivity. However medical students perceived that their schedule is too busy to participate in social media (p-value < 0.05). Also, 78% were either unsure or believed social media would consume a lot of time. Even though students routinely used social media, the accuracy and reliability of social media as a learning tool was a major concern among students. Conclusion: Our study underscores the promise of social media as a powerful tool for enhancing inclusivity in physiology education. The enthusiasm of students for using these platforms in their learning journey is evident. However, the demanding schedules of medical students and concerns about resource reliability must be acknowledged as potential roadblocks. To unlock the full potential of social media in physiology education, it is imperative that educational institutions and educators address these challenges through strategic planning and assurance measures. By doing so, we can create an educational landscape that is both equitable and of high quality, where all students can benefit from the advantages of social media in their learning. This research serves as a call to action, encouraging further exploration and innovation in this field, ultimately advancing the delivery of physiology education in the digital age. Sources of Funding: This study did not recieve funding in any form Conflict of Interest: None to declare. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.