Developing a Web-Based Supplement for Teaching Medical Nutrition Therapy to Dietetic Interns

Abstract

When the omputerized dietetic registration exam is implemented this year, interest in computer-based instructional methods is likely to increase among internship faculty and students. The World Wide Web is becoming a major provider of educational materials to learners who need or prefer to learn outside of the traditional classroom. The project purpose was to develop a Web-based supplement to a graduate advanced clinical nutrition course. We used the Web Course Tools (WebCT) software package to create the supplement. WebCT provides assistance with course design and contains educational tools to facilitate learning and administrative tools to aid instructors with course management. Our supplement is password-protected and includes the course syllabus, with lecture outlines, glossaries, slides and links to pertinent websites. The discussion forum, a calendar, email and student homepages serve as communication tools. One key feature is the on-line quiz and survey function. Instructors found it convenient to use the built-in capability for grading quizzes and students appreciated the immediate constructive feedback on their performance. Another helpful administrative tool is tracking the number of visits to the site's instructional materials. To successfully create and use supplemental Web-based materials instructors and students should be adequately prepared and motivated. We continue to add to the content of the supplement and will use an expanded version in Fall, 1999.