09 Avr Students’ Perceptions of ICT Integration in Health Science Education in Bujumbura, BURUNDI

Y. Kamikazi, J. Niyonkuru, F. Nkezabahizi, S. Butoyi, P. Nimubona, L. Ntakarutimana, J. Nyandwi, L. Bazira.

7th East African Health and Scientific Conference, 27-29 March 2019

Background/Introduction

The integration of ICT in medical education in Burundi and even in Africa is little known.

Objective

To assess students’ perceptions of ICT integration in health science education in BURUNDI.

Material & Method

It was a cross-sectional descriptive study targeting a random sample of students from the Faculty of Medicine and the National Institute of Public Health of Bujumbura. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire and processed using the Epi-Info software

Results

Of the 158 respondents (75%), 93 were men (59%) and 65 were women (41%). The mean age was 25.7 years [19-45]. About 84% of these students had a smart phone and 45.6% a personal computer. The use of at least one ICT tool as a teaching aid, in their class, was confirmed by 90% of students and it was mainly a video projector in 79% of cases. Mannequins or E-learning (21%), Distance learning (4,4%) were little used. Other methods or tools, common elsewhere, had a marginal place or were even unknown.  The mentioned causes of low level of ICTs’ integration in health science education were inadequacy and poor maintenance of equipment (43%), poor connectivity (39%), high cost of ICTs (33%), lack of training in the use of ICT in education (37%) and resistance to change (6%).

Discussion

This study based on students’ opinion highlighted the underutilization of ICTs in health science education which affected the quality of delivered education.

Conclusion & Recommendation

The poor integration of ICT in health science education is mainly due to the lack of resources but there is a need of implementing a sound strategy that should conduct to the necessary change.