Japanese Experience of Communication Training in Ukrainian Higher Medical Education during COVID-19 Quarantine Period

Abstract

The article aims at implementing Japanese experience of communication training by means of digital storytelling (DST) at Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University under conditions of COVID-19 quarantine and distance learning. The paper studies and discusses the effectiveness of DST-based training and evaluation technique in the development of communication skills. The research involved 76 first- (N = 38) and second-year medical students (N = 38). The evaluation of DST skills was performed by ten criteria (8 structural, 2 stylistic) and occurred in three stages: introductory, developmental and final. Obtained data were statistically processed and analyzed. The research results were analyzed by (I) differences between groups, and (II) differences between stages. They indicate significant improvement of DST skills in both experimental groups at three research stages (p < 0.01). Rapid developmental dynamics of DST skills is primarily associated with better improvement of DST skills by structural criteria compared to stylistic in all participants (p < 0.01). This phenomenon indicates the requirement for further analysis and paying more attention to the development of lexical and grammar skills of medical students. Thus, the study confirmed the effectiveness of DST method in communication training and feasibility of its implementation in higher medical education as a tool of communication skills development.