Barriers to Effective Online Learning among Pharmacy Students in Zambia: Opportunities for Pedagogical Approach of Blended Learning

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic necessitated a rapid global shift to online learning. In Zambia, however, there is limited information on the specific challenges university students face in this new learning environment. This study aimed to investigate the barriers to effective online learning among pharmacy students at the University of Zambia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2022 to April 2023 among 613 pharmacy students at the University of Zambia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with IBM SPSS version 25.0. Thematic analysis used to analyze the challenges experienced by pharmacy students during online learning. Results: Among the 613 participants, 52.4% were female and 33.8% were between the ages of 18 and 23 years. The majority of students (56.5%) reported experiencing internet connectivity challenges during online learning. Additional reported barriers included inadequate data bundles coupled with poor network quality (9.0%), high costs of data bundles (8.8%), and disrupted interactions and feedback due to network issues (3.1%). Other challenges included limitations on the number of students that online platforms could accommodate (2.8%), difficulties maintaining concentration due to network issues (2.0%), issues with gadgets and data bundles (1.8%), combined problems of poor network and limited online class capacity (1.6%), power outages affecting connectivity (1.5%), low student participation (1.3%), and various technical challenges (1.3%). Conclusion: The transition to online learning has imposed significant challenges on pharmacy students, particularly related to internet connectivity, data bundle issues, interactive feedback, and technical problems. These findings highlight the urgent need for universities to adopt blended learning curricula that integrate both online and face-to-face instruction, as well as targeted interventions to address the technical and infrastructural barriers hindering effective online education in Zambia.