Table 1 Findings according to the SWOT framework
Strengths • Focus on students’ learning needs • Matching with students’ interests in digital tools • Flexibility • Variety of teaching and evaluation methods • Improving productive lecturer-student interactions • Improving self-learning and problem-solving skills | Weaknesses • Lack of training courses • Deficiency in IT and network infrastructures and human resources • Lack of institutionalization of virtual education culture • Lack of an independent LMS • Complex and time-consuming task of virtual education • Lack of sufficient suitable feedback • Lack of information and reminder • Lack of required infrastructure and skillful human resources |
Opportunities • Health education transformation and innovation plan of the ministry of health and medical education • The university’s and ministry’s senior executives support • Foundation of virtual university of medical sciences • User-friendly and easy-to-use LMS to be acquainted with • Access to the updated and standard electronic contents • Development of regional and international cooperation | Threats • Dependence of virtual education development on the national education transformation plan • Resistance of the lecturers to use the virtual education • Lack of proper evaluation of virtual education • Non-compliance with the principles of copyright and intellectual property • Insufficiency of the privileges considered at the university for people who use the virtual education • Lack of an independent virtual education center at the university |