Can midwifery students learn effectively through remote learning?

remote learningmidwifery

Yes, when programmes use a blended design that protects hands-on practice and tightens online delivery. Our remote learning analysis of National Student Survey (NSS) comments reads slightly negative overall (sentiment index −3.4), and midwifery, as a regulated, placement heavy health discipline across the sector, concentrates student feedback on real-world experience: placements account for 17.8% of all comments and remote learning is rated more negatively (−10.5). That profile supports a view that online methods serve theory, preparation and decision-making, but they complement rather than replace clinical experience and on-site mentorship.

What makes midwifery education hard to deliver remotely?

Midwifery education demands complex skills, notably hands-on clinical practice and direct patient interaction. Translating these into remote formats introduces authenticity gaps. Full-time and younger cohorts tend to be more negative about remote delivery, while mature and part-time students are less so, which aligns with the practical realities of clinical learning. The theoretical components translate well to digital platforms, but students’ emphasis on placements underlines the limits of substitution for tactile learning. Staff therefore prioritise a balanced approach that integrates simulation and online preparation with protected clinical exposure, and use structured student feedback to iterate quickly.

How can practical coursework adapt to remote formats?

A blended model works best. Virtual simulations support clinical decision-making in repeatable, risk-free conditions, and scenario-based tasks can scaffold skills before practice. Educators have paired simulations with interactive webinars, mentor-guided reflections and real-time demonstrations via video links. From a delivery standpoint, remote-first materials raise parity: captioned recordings, transcripts, low-bandwidth versions and a single, stable link hub per module. For practice-heavy content, high-quality demonstration capture and clear submission specifications increase transparency and help students prepare to perform skills in placement settings.

How do we sustain engagement and interaction online?

Open with structure and predictability. A consistent weekly rhythm, shorter blocks, and signposted tasks help students manage cognitive load alongside clinical shifts. Breakout groups sustain peer discussion of clinical problems, while scheduled one-to-ones maintain mentorship. Asynchronous parity matters: timely, searchable recordings and concise summaries ensure those on placement or different shifts can keep pace without penalty. These steps mitigate the loss of informal cues present in clinic and classroom settings.

How does remote learning affect mental health and wellbeing?

Isolation and screen fatigue can compound the emotional demands of midwifery. Students value accessible people-centred support, and availability of teaching staff is a strong positive signal in midwifery feedback (index +53.1). Institutions that normalise regular check-ins, provide online counselling and wellbeing workshops, and timetable predictable tutor contact reduce stress and foster belonging. Short feedback loops on issues raised help students feel heard and supported.

Where do technology and access barriers disrupt learning?

Unequal access to devices, connectivity and confidence with platforms affects engagement. Programmes that provide a short “getting set online” orientation, a one-page “how we work online” playbook, and prompt technical support see fewer avoidable drop-offs. Publishing materials in accessible formats, maintaining a single source of truth for links and timetables, and monitoring weekly friction points (access, audio, link churn, timetable slips) helps staff fix problems promptly and maintain momentum.

What are midwifery students telling us?

Students praise flexibility and the ability to replay recorded sessions, but they report gaps in hands-on competence when online substitutes dominate. In midwifery feedback, remote learning sentiment leans negative (−10.5) and operational reliability often shapes the experience more than content quality. Assessment clarity is a recurrent pain point: marking criteria attract strong criticism (index −48.8), and students ask for annotated exemplars, checklist-style rubrics and realistic turnaround times. Blending on-site practice with structured online preparation, and tightening course communications and timetabling, aligns with how students describe what helps them progress.

What does the future of midwifery education look like?

Hybrid models become standard: remote for theory, preparation and reflection; in-person for skills acquisition and team-based practice. Programme teams invest in simulation to rehearse rare events, while placements remain the anchor for competence and confidence. Weekly monitoring and short “what we fixed” updates close the loop with students and partners, making operational reliability part of academic quality.

How Student Voice Analytics helps you

Student Voice Analytics turns open-text survey data into priorities for action. It tracks topic volume and sentiment over time, with drill-downs from institution to programme and cohort, so midwifery teams can target high-impact areas across placements, scheduling, organisation, communications and assessment. You can compare results with like-for-like sector benchmarks for remote learning and midwifery, produce concise anonymised summaries for programme teams and governance, and export tables and charts to brief partners and practice sites. This enables continuous improvement where it matters most to students.

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More posts on midwifery student views:

• Do midwifery students get the support they need?
• Do UK midwifery courses develop students personally as well as professionally?
• Are midwifery placements delivering for students?
• How did COVID-19 reshape midwifery students’ education?