Impact of Summer school e- learning with a Blended Approach On Knowledge , Skill and attitude of Participating Students

Introduction: Summer schools are a collaborative way of fostering students’ meta-competencies and addressing their favorite topics outside the formal curriculum. Various summer schools are held at universities each year, and it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of these courses in future planning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the first E-learning Summer School in promoting students' knowledge, skills and attitudes . Method: The study was a quasi-experimental one-group study with pre-test and post-test. The sample of the study was 33 students who participated in the first e-learning summer school in 2017. The course was designed by blended learning approach and completed in four days. Evaluation of the course was performed by using the Kirk Patrick model and research tools included MCQ test for knowledge assessment and questionnaires for self-assessment of their knowledge, skill, attitudes and the educational climate. The Content and face validity were confirmed by 10 experts, and reliability of questionnaire was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha. The data were analyzed by using one sample T-Test and paired t-test through SPSS. Results: Comparison of pre-test and post-test showed the significant effect of the course on increasing knowledge (p <0.001). The results of self-assessment of knowledge and skills showed positive effect after the course. The satisfaction score of the educational climate was higher than expected (P<0.001). Students had a positive attitude towards e-learning at the end of the course (P <0.001) Conclusion: Considering positive effect of this course on increasing students’ knowledge and skill also Given students' acceptance of virtual education, holding related courses to e-learning specially for students and effective use of this tool in teaching – learning process is suggested.