Effectiveness and Students′ Satisfaction on Use of Facebook® Page for Teaching Gross Anatomy for Undergraduate Students at Nile Valley University, Atbara- Sudan

Abstract Introduction: E-learning signifies a pivotal shift in the future of education, primarily due to technological advancements and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. In the realm of medical education, e-learning embodies a burgeoning concept that necessitates awareness from training organizations, medical schools, and educators regarding the obstacles and potential solutions. Facebook® stands out as one of the most widely used social media platforms among university students. Consequently, it can serve as an effective educational tool for conducting practical sessions in gross anatomy. Aim: The objective of this study was to assess the Effectiveness and Students' Satisfaction regarding the Use of Facebook® Page for Teaching Gross Anatomy to Undergraduate Students. Materials and methods: This experimental study was conducted with 2nd year medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, Nile Valley University. The thorax module was delivered through four practical videos, which were uploaded to the Dr. Baligh Anatomy Facebook® page. Students' performance was evaluated through three pre and post-tests associated with the videos. An electronic questionnaire was utilized to gauge students' satisfaction. Data analysis was performed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 20. The means of pre and post-tests for each practical were computed and compared using a paired sample t-test. Results: A total of 84 participants were involved, with the majority aged between 19 and 22 years. Females constituted 76.2% of the participants. The analysis of means indicated a significant enhancement in students' performance across all four practical sessions. The average grades improved by 2.4 marks out of 10 in practical No. 1, by 3.2 marks in practical No. 2 and 3, and by 3 marks in practical No. 4. A favorable response (%) was observed regarding accessibility to Facebook® (70%), its usability as an educational tool (78.6%), the benefits of Facebook as a learning resource (81%), the enhancement of time spent on social media (91.7%), the facilitation of communication with tutors (88.1%), the increase in understanding of thorax dissection (95%), the motivation to learn anatomy (91.7%), overall satisfaction with quality and content (91.7%), their views on the importance of creating similar Facebook®-delivered anatomy videos for other modules (85.7%), and the potential of Facebook®-delivered anatomy videos to address staff shortages (84.5%). Conclusion: Facebook® can be regarded as an effective instrument for teaching practical sessions in gross anatomy, leading to a notable improvement in students' academic performance. Furthermore, students exhibited generally positive perceptions of Facebook® as a learning tool.