Abstract
BACKGROUND: E-learning, including platforms like Google Classroom and Moodle, has become integral to nursing education, offering flexibility and adapting to the changing educational system. Despite varied student responses, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to online nursing education at Karaganda Medical University, prompting an evaluation of platforms like Zoom, WebEx, Google Classroom, and Moodle for their quality and convenience. This study, based on the students' perspective, contributes to ongoing efforts to optimize online platforms for nursing education at Karaganda Medical University. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted by a group of lecturers in December 2023 at Karaganda Medical University, Kazakhstan. The study adopted a quantitative approach, employing a survey methodology administered to 154 second-year students enrolled in the academic bachelor's degree program in Nursing. Participants were chosen through convenience sampling, and they were tasked with rating educational platforms and programs based on predefined criteria, utilizing a 5-point scale. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics, calculating relative values for comparative analysis. RESULTS: Comparative analysis was conducted on two prominent educational platforms-Google Classroom and Moodle-and two programs designed for online consultations and classes-WebEx and Zoom. All obtained data is presented in tables for clarity. CONCLUSIONS: An analysis of the preferences of second-year undergraduate students regarding educational platforms and online programs identified the main criteria important for the learning process. This research can be used to further improve educational platforms and enhance the quality of education.