Published date: Sep 26 2024

Journal Title: West Kazakhstan Medical Journal

Issue title: West Kazakhstan Medical Journal: Volume 66 Issue 3

Pages: 201–209

DOI: 10.18502/wkmj.v66i3.16179

Homamodin Javadzadesh.javadzadeh@bpums.ac.irDepartment of Health Education and Health Promotion, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr

Mahnoush Reisireisi_mr@yahoo.comDepartment of Health Education and Health Promotion, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr

The adoption of paperless education in medical universities has revolutionized various aspects of academic life, offering enhanced efficiency, cost savings, and improved health outcomes. Traditional paper-based systems in medical education have long been associated with inefficiencies and environmental concerns. The advent of digital technologies has provided opportunities to streamline educational processes, reduce waste, and improve accessibility. This mini review examines the transformative impact of paperless education on medical universities, focusing on its benefits in registration, teaching, education, and exams. The shift to online registration systems has simplified the enrollment process for both students and administrators, allowing for seamless registration, payment, and course selection. Online registration also enables real-time tracking of student progress and facilitates communication between students and faculty. In teaching, digital tools such as e-learning platforms and virtual classrooms offer students flexible learning opportunities, promoting active engagement and knowledge retention. Similarly, the adoption of electronic textbooks and digital libraries has significantly reduced the reliance on printed materials in medical education, fostering self-directed learning and research. Furthermore, digital assessment methods such as online quizzes and remote proctoring have streamlined the examination process, offering greater flexibility in scheduling exams and ensuring the integrity of the assessment process. Economically, the transition to paperless education has resulted in cost savings by eliminating the need for printed materials, storage, and distribution. Additionally, digital technologies enable universities to reach a broader audience, potentially increasing enrollment and revenue. Moreover, paperless education offers health benefits by reducing exposure to allergens and pathogens associated with paper-based materials, and promoting social distancing to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious diseases. In conclusion, the adoption of paperless education in medical universities represents a transformative shift, offering numerous benefits including enhanced efficiency, cost savings, and improved health outcomes. As technology continues to evolve, medical universities need to embrace digital innovations to ensure a sustainable and effective learning environment.

[1] Cavanagh A, Vanstone M, Ritz S. Problems of problem-based learning: Towards transformative critical pedagogy in medical education. Perspect Med Educ. 2019;8(1):38-42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40037-018-0489-7

[2] Abioye SO, Oyedele LO, Akanbi L, Ajayi A, Delgado JMD, Bilal M, et al. Artificial intelligence in the construction industry: A review of present status, opportunities and future challenges. Journal of Building Engineering. 2021;44:103299.

[3] Haleem A, Javaid M, Qadri MA, Suman R. Understanding the role of digital technologies in education: A review. Sustainable Operations and Computers. 2022;3:275-85.

[4] Fredeluces SMA, Garcia NP, Quines LA. Extent of utilization of paperless technology: Basis for a proposed intervention program. European Journal of Education Studies. 2023;10(7):447-474.

[5] Pang TY, Lee T-K, Murshed M. Towards a new paradigm for digital health training and education in Australia: Exploring the implication of the fifth industrial revolution. Applied Sciences. 2023;13(11):6854.

[6] Alshammari H, Shaheen S, Alyahya K, Mahmoud S, Al-Rabiah A. Evaluating the transformative impact of online education on medical student learning outcomes. 2023.

[7] Feuerriegel S, Shrestha YR, von Krogh G, Zhang C. Bringing artificial intelligence to business management. Nature Machine Intelligence. 2022;4(7):611-613.

[8] Moro J. The emergence of digital course materials in higher education and their effectiveness in teaching and engaging students. Publishing Research Quarterly. 2018;34:417-429.

[9] Chudnovsky M, Peeters R. The unequal distribution of administrative burden: A framework and an illustrative case study for understanding variation in people’s experience of burdens. Social Policy and Administration. 2021;55(4):527-542.

[10] Al Rawashdeh AZ, Mohammed EY, Al Arab AR, Alara M, Al-Rawashdeh B. Advantages and disadvantages of using e-learning in university education: Analyzing students’ perspectives. Electronic Journal of E-learning. 2021;19(3):107-117.

[11] Habib MN, Jamal W, Khalil U, Khan Z. Transforming universities in interactive digital platform: Case of city university of science and information technology. Educ Inf Technol (Dordr). 2021;26(1):517-541. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10237-w

[12] George B, Wooden O. Managing the strategic transformation of higher education through artificial intelligence. Administrative Sciences. 2023;13(9):196.

[13] Zainal H, Xin X, Thumboo J, Fong KY. Medical school curriculum in the digital age: Perspectives of clinical educators and teachers. BMC Med Educ. 2022;22(1):428. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03454-z

[14] Alenezi M. Digital learning and digital institution in higher education. Education Sciences. 2023;13(1):88.

[15] El-Sabagh HA. Adaptive e-learning environment based on learning styles and its impact on development students’ engagement. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education. 2021;18(1):53.

[16] Almaiah MA, Al-Khasawneh A, Althunibat A. Exploring the critical challenges and factors influencing the E-learning system usage during COVID-19 pandemic. Educ Inf Technol (Dordr). 2020;25(6):5261-5280. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10219-y

[17] Koukourikos K, Tsaloglidou A, Kourkouta L, Papathanasiou IV, Iliadis C, Fratzana A, et al. Simulation in Clinical Nursing Education. Acta Inform Med. 2021;29(1):15-20. https://doi.org/10.5455/aim.2021.29.15-20

[18] Adipat S, Laksana K, Busayanon K, Asawasowan A, Adipat B. Engaging students in the learning process with game-based learning: The fundamental concepts. International Journal of Technology in Education. 2021;4(3):542-552.

[19] Saini N, Mir SA. Social Media: Usage and the impact on education. Journal of Namibian Studies: History Politics Culture. 2023;33:4670-4689.

[20] Tripon C, Gonța I, Bulgac A. Nurturing minds and sustainability: An exploration of educational interactions and their impact on student well-being and assessment in a sustainable university. Sustainability. 2023; 15(12):9349. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129349

[21] Aithal S, Aithal P. Effects of AI-based ChatGPT on higher education libraries. International Journal of Management, Technology, and Social Sciences (IJMTS). 2023;8(2):95-108.

[22] Maphalala MC, Mkhasibe RG, Mncube DW. Online learning as a catalyst for self-directed learning in universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research in Social Sciences and Technology. 2021;6(2):233-248.

[23] Demircioglu T, Karakus M, Ucar S. Developing students’ critical thinking skills and argumentation abilities through augmented reality-based argumentation activities in science classes. Sci Educ (Dordr). 2022;32(4):1- 31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-022-00369-5

[24] Bankar MN, Bankar NJ, Singh BR, Bandre GR, Shelke YP. The role of e-content development in medical teaching: How far have we come? Cureus. 2023;15(8):e43208. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.43208

[25] Kumar D, Haque A, Mishra K, Islam F, Mishra BK, Ahmad S. Exploring the transformative role of artificial intelligence and metaverse in education: A comprehensive review. Metaverse Basic and Applied Research. 2023;2:55.

[26] Liu M, Ren Y, Nyagoga LM, Stonier F, Wu Z, Yu L. Future of education in the era of generative artificial intelligence: Consensus among Chinese scholars on applications of ChatGPT in schools. Future in Educational Research. 2023;1(1):72-101.

[27] Winters E, Mitchell WG, Jeremy KP, Subhan MMF (eds.). Comparison of biomedical science students’ perceptions of online versus paper-based examinations. Frontiers in Education; 2024: Frontiers.

[28] Nicola-Richmond K, Dawson P, Partridge H. Online proctored exams: Rhetoric vs. reality. Higher Education Research and Development. 2024;43(2):392-405.

[29] Lipman SA. Time for Tele-TTO? Lessons learned from digital interviewer-assisted time trade-off data collection. Patient. 2021;14(5):459-469. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40271-020-00490-z

[30] Bazari S, Pooya A, Soleimani Fard O, Roozkhosh P. Modeling and solving the problem of scheduling university exams in terms of new constraints on the conflicts of professors’ exams and the concurrence of exams with common questions. OPSEARCH. 2023;60(2):877-915.

[31] Papapanou M, Routsi E, Tsamakis K, Fotis L, Marinos G, Lidoriki I, et al. Medical education challenges and innovations during COVID-19 pandemic. Postgrad Med J. 2022;98(1159):321-327. https://doi.org/10.1136/postgradmedj- 2021-140032

[32] Putri E, Qothrunada R. Web-Based Digital Examination Card Design to Reduce Paper Use. Journal of Educational Technology & Society. 2024;1(1):36-44.

[33] Chirumamilla A, Sindre G, Nguyen-Duc A. Cheating in e-exams and paper exams: the perceptions of engineering students and teachers in Norway. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 2020;45(7):940-57.

[34] Tyagi AK, Fernandez TF, Mishra S, Kumari S, editors. Intelligent automation systems at the core of industry 4.0. International conference on intelligent systems design and applications; 2020: Springer.

[35] Noorbehbahani F, Mohammadi A, Aminazadeh M. A systematic review of research on cheating in online exams from 2010 to 2021. Educ Inf Technol (Dordr). 2022;27(6):8413-8460. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-10927-7

[36] Gribbins M, Bonk CJ. An exploration of instructors’ perceptions about online proctoring and its value in ensuring academic integrity. British Journal of Educational Technology. 2023;54(6):1693-714.

[37] Saravanan R. Automatic Cheating Detection In Exam Hall. Authorea Preprints. 2023.

[38] Haktan￿r E, Kahraman C, Şeker Ş, Doğan O. Future of digital transformation. Intelligent systems in digital transformation: Theory and applications: Springer; 2022. p. 611-38.

[39] Shekarian E, Ijadi B, Zare A, Majava J. Sustainable supply chain management: a comprehensive systematic review of industrial practices. Sustainability. 2022; 14(13):7892. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137892

[40] Al-Hakimi AM, Subbiah A, Johar MGBM, Jaharadak AAB, editors. A Review Study of an Intelligent Strategy Towards Higher Education Examination Management Structure Based on Fog Computing. 2023 IEEE 14th Control and System Graduate Research Colloquium (ICSGRC); 2023 5-5 Aug. 2023.

[41] Kasahara A, Mitchell J, Yang J, Cuomo RE, McMann TJ, Mackey TK. Digital technologies used in clinical trial recruitment and enrollment including application to trial diversity and inclusion: A systematic review. Digit Health. 2024;10:20552076241242390. https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241242390

[42] Abdulmunem RAM. Effectiveness of participatory digital training based on virtual classrooms in developing teaching skills. Technology, Pedagogy and Education. 2023;33(1):121-34. https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939x.2023.2292088

[43] Wu L, Yan K, Zhang Y. Higher education expansion and inequality in educational opportunities in China. Higher Education. 2020;80(3):549-70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00498-2

[44] AbdulKareem AK, Bello ML, Ishola AA, Jimoh LA. E-government, information and communications technology support and paperless environment in nigerian public universities: issues and challenges. Journal of Technology Management and Business. 2020;7(1):65-74.

[45] Rachana Harish A, Liu XL, Li M, Zhong RY, Huang GQ. Blockchain-enabled digital assets tokenization for cyber-physical traceability in E-commerce logistics financing. Computers in Industry. 2023;150:103956. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compind.2023.103956

[46] Attaran M. Digital technology enablers and their implications for supply chain management. Supply Chain Forum: An International Journal. 2020;21(3):158-72. https://doi.org/10.1080/16258312.2020.1751568

[47] Stoumpos AI, Kitsios F, Talias MA. Digital Transformation in Healthcare: Technology Acceptance and Its Applications. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(4):3407. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043407

[48] Haeberle M. Pulp and Paper Workers, and Paper Dermatitis. In: John SM, Johansen JD, Rustemeyer T, Elsner P, Maibach HI, editors. Kanerva’s Occupational Dermatology. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2020. p. 2183-202.

[49] Goossens J, Bullens DMA, Dupont LJ, Seys SF. Exposome mapping in chronic respiratory diseases: the added value of digital technology. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2022;22(1):1-9. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACI.0000000000000801

[50] Martinez LA, Opalinski AS, Herbert L. The lived experiences of students with food allergies during a usual weekday. J Sch Health. 2023;94(7):610-618. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.13420

[51] Alghamdi NS, Alghamdi SM. The Role of Digital Technology in Curbing COVID-19. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(14). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148287

[52] Dhawan S. Online Learning: A Panacea in the Time of COVID-19 Crisis. Journal of Educational Technology Systems. 2020;49(1):5-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047239520934018

[53] Philippe TJ, Sikder N, Jackson A, Koblanski ME, Liow E, Pilarinos A, et al. Digital Health Interventions for Delivery of Mental Health Care: Systematic and Comprehensive Meta-Review. JMIR Ment Health. 2022;9(5):e35159. https://doi.org/10.2196/35159

[54] Bashir A, Bashir S, Rana K, Lambert P, Vernallis A. Post-COVID-19 Adaptations; the Shifts Towards Online Learning, Hybrid Course Delivery and the Implications for Biosciences Courses in the Higher Education Setting. Frontiers in Education. 2021;6:711619. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.711619

[55] Wiedermann CJ, Barbieri V, Plagg B, Marino P, Piccoliori G, Engl A. Fortifying the Foundations: A Comprehensive Approach to Enhancing Mental Health Support in Educational Policies Amidst Crises. Healthcare (Basel). 2023;11(10):1423. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11101423