Challenges in Pharmacy Education With Limited Resources During COVID-19: ASEAN Perspective
Phayom Sookaneknum Olson, Areerut Leelathanalerk, Nguyen Van Hung, Bee Kim Tan, Shiela May Jayme Nacabu-an, Christianus Heru Setiawan, Phoutsathaphone Sibounheuang, Pornchanok Srimongkon, Bunleu Sungthong, Paul W. Jungnickel
Copyright: © 2022
|Pages: 36
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-7623-6.ch016
Abstract
The rapidly emerging COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the need for rapid and extensive changes in the education programs of universities. This chapter reviews the changes in teaching and learning made by pharmaceutical faculties in six universities located in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): Mahasarakham University (Thailand), Taylor's University (Malaysia), University of the Philippines-Manilla (Philippines), Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy (Vietnam), University of Health Sciences (Lao PDR), and Sanata Dharma University (Indonesia). The authors discuss adjustments that were made based on educational contexts, planning and infrastructure, educational processes, and products and outcomes. Each university provides a specific story concerning lessons learned in responding to the pandemic. The chapter concludes with changes that will be employed in future emergency situations, as well as those that will continue to be incorporated with the resumption of normal operations.
TopIntroduction
Situations that Impacted Educational Organization
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic tremendously impacted health worldwide. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Universities in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) responded by promptly taking actions to slow the contagion and change educational processes depending on governmental polices and specific adaptations to individual situations. Since WHO recommended social distancing as one of the critical strategies to reduce the spread of COVID-19, pharmacy schools needed to be closed to adhere to this measure and remote teaching was required to maintain learning experiences and provide education for all students. The experiences of universities located in six ASEAN countries of varying populations, geography and COVID-19 incidences are discussed in this chapter: Taylor’s University (TU), Malaysia; Mahasarakham University (MSU), Thailand; University of the Philippines Manila (UPM), Philippines; Sanata Dharma University (SDU), Indonesia; University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lao PDR; and Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy (HPMU), Vietnam. Characteristics of the six schools of pharmacy are shown in Table 1.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): An economic union of 10 nations in Southeast Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) to promote cooperation and mutual assistance between governments and facilitate development in areas such as economics, education, science, culture, and commerce.
Movement Control Order: An order that specifically limits travel from one place to another; particularly applies to Malaysia.
Universal Health Coverage: All individuals in a nation or other geographic entity have access to essential health care services without suffering financial hardship.
Learning Management Systems: A software application that facilitates learning processes in courses or other learning environments; typical functions include sharing of documents, submission of assignments, examinations, and various forms of communication among faculty and students.
Remote Learning: Courses and other educational activities occur outside traditional classroom and laboratory spaces with learners and teachers physically separated from each other; level of information technology used can vary widely.
Invigilation: Observation of students during completion of examinations or other assignments to detect academic dishonesty when it is occurring.
Emergency Remote Teaching: A rapid transition to alternate educational delivery in response to an emergency or crisis that prevents teachers and learners from safely occupying the same physical space.