Web-based Medical Education Research Articles

Exploring the Educational Value of Popular Culture in Web-Based Medical Education: Pre-Post Study on Teaching Jaundice Using "The Simpsons".

The potential of popular culture as a tool for knowledge delivery and enhancing engagement in education is promising but not extensively studied. Furthermore, concerns exist regarding learning fatigue due to increased reliance on videoconferencing platforms following the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure effective web-based teaching sessions that maintain attention spans and enhance understanding, innovative solutions are necessary. This study aims to evaluate the use of specific popular culture case studies to enhance student engagement in a web-based near-peer teaching session. We delivered a web-based teaching session to undergraduate medical students in the United Kingdom. The session included clinical vignettes and single-best-answer questions using characters from "The Simpsons" television show as patient analogies for various causes of jaundice. A pre-post survey, employing a 7-point Likert scale, was distributed to gather data from participants. A total of 53 survey responses were collected. Participants reported significantly improved understanding of jaundice after the session compared to before the session (median 6, IQR 5-6 vs median 4, IQR 3-4.5; P<.001). The majority of participants agreed that the inclusion of "The Simpsons" characters enhanced their knowledge and made the teaching session more memorable and engaging (memorability: median 6, IQR 5-7; engagement: median 6, IQR 5-7). When appropriately integrated, popular culture can effectively engage students and improve self-perceived knowledge retention. "The Simpsons" characters can be used pedagogically and professionally as patient analogies to deliver teaching on the topic of jaundice.

Cultivating Agents of Change in Medical Students: Addressing the Overdose Epidemic in the United States Through Enhancing Knowledge of Multimodal Pain Medicine and Increasing Accessibility via Open-Access, Web-Based Medical Education and Technology.

Medical students of today will soon be physician leaders and teachers of tomorrow about important relevant topics including the overdose epidemic and its devastating impact on our society. In the United States, the overdose crisis, including drug opioid-related overdoses, the increasing prevalence of opioid use disorder along with the increasing number of patients with chronic pain are intensifying and call attention for nationwide action. A strong medical educational foundation of the understanding of the relationship between pain and substance use disorder, their treatment including opioid analgesic therapy, multimodal and interdisciplinary care, and long-term management is needed to help cultivate comprehensive knowledge and training to prepare the next generation's frontline practitioners to meet these needs. Yet, traditional educational curricula covering these topics are not standardized in medical schools across the nation in the United States. The advent of web-based medical education and the integration of this technology may offer potential solutions to these challenges. Often found equally effective as in-person learning, web-based medical education through open-access modules and other technologies can help increase accessibility, enhance knowledge of multimodal pain management, safe and effective use of opioid analgesics, and other related topics, and provide flexible and powerful teaching initiatives. Our viewpoint is thus that open-access modules and other technology-integrated teaching initiatives can help deliver excellence in pain education, preparing and empowering medical students-our future agents of change-who will be at the forefront of the overdose epidemic.

The First Asynchronous Online Evidence-Based Medicine Course for Syrian Health Workforce: Effectiveness and Feasibility Pilot Study.

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is critical for providing the best scientifically proven patient health care, and it is implemented worldwide in order to improve the quality of the delivered health care. However, not all Syrian health professionals are knowledgeable about the importance, methodology, and implementation of EBM. Providing web-based learning courses on EBM might be effective in improving the EBM knowledge of health care professionals. This study was performed to test the effectiveness and the feasibility of an asynchronous web-based course on EBM in improving the competencies of Syrian health care professionals in terms of EBM. A web-based course on EBM was developed in Arabic and uploaded onto the Syrian Virtual University platform. An electronic registration form was designed and distributed to medical groups on social media for registration to this web-based course. Both the pretest and posttest had the same 3 sections to measure the impact of this web-based EBM program on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the Syrian health care professionals. The posttest had an additional section for measuring the efficacy and ease of use of this program. Student paired 1-tailed t test was used to analyze the differences in the different assessment sections among the participants. Nineteen participants filled the electronic registration form, but 8 participants did not meet the inclusion criteria. Therefore, the pretest was sent to the remaining 11 participants (7 men and 4 women) who graduated from Syrian universities. Ten of them completed the pretest, while 7 of them completed the posttest. The web-based course was found to be effective in improving the participants' EBM knowledge, skills, and attitudes at P>.05. Further, the web-based EBM course was feasible and easy-to-use. In order for EBM to be implemented in Syria, continuous medical education training programs should be designed for clinical practitioners. Our study shows that asynchronous web-based medical education is an effective and a feasible means for introducing the concept of EBM, improving practitioners' skills, and promoting the positive attitudes of Syrian clinical practitioners toward EBM.

Perception of Web-Based Didactic Activities During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Anesthesia Residents: Pilot Questionnaire Study.

BackgroundPhysical and social distancing recommendations aimed at limiting exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic have forced residency programs to increasingly rely on videoconferencing and web-based resources.ObjectiveIn this pilot study, we aimed to explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on residency training experience, and to delineate the perceived barriers to the successful implementation of web-based medical education.MethodsA 19-item survey was compiled and distributed electronically using Qualtrics. This anonymous survey included information on the training level of each resident, their participation in formal didactics before and during the pandemic, and their perception of the ease and limitations of virtual didactics. The resident’s opinions on specific educational resources were assessed, and the effectiveness of new delivery methods on resident engagement and learning was examined.ResultsThirty anesthesiology residents were surveyed, 19 of whom agreed to participate in the pilot study. One participant with incomplete responses was excluded, yielding a final cohort of 18 respondents. Most residents (56%, 10/18) reported that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected their residency training. The time spent on didactic training and independent studies was, nevertheless, not affected by the pandemic for 90% (16/18) of respondents. Nonetheless, 72% (13/18) of residents were less engaged during virtual lectures in comparison to in-person didactics. Important limitations included distraction from the physical environment (67%, 12/18), internet instability (67%, 12/18), less obligation to participate (44%, 8/18), technical difficulty and unmuted microphones (33%, 6/18, each), and people speaking over each other (28%, 5/18). Despite these limitations, most residents stated that they would like to keep a combination of virtual didactics including live Zoom lectures (56%, 10/18), prerecorded web didactics (56%, 10/18), and virtual ground rounds via Zoom (50%, 9/18) as the “new normal.”ConclusionsDespite important limitations listed in this report, anesthesia residents would like to keep a combination of virtual lectures and presentations as the new normal after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Web-based Medical Education During COVID-19 Lockdown: A Step Back or a Leap to the Future?

The impact of coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) on medical education has been substantial. Medical students require considerable clinical exposure. However, due to the risk of COVID-19, the majority of medical schools globally have discontinued their normal activities. The strengths of virtual teaching now include a variety of web-based resources. New interactive forms of virtual teaching are being developed to enable students to interact with patients from their homes. Conversely, students have received decreased clinical training in certain medical and surgical specialities, which may, in turn, reduce their performance, confidence, and abilities as future physicians. We sought to analyze the effect of telemedicine on the quality of medical education in this new emerging era and highlight the benefits and drawbacks of web-based medical training in building up future physicians. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed an unparalleled challenge to medical schools, which are aiming to deliver quality education to students virtually, balancing between evidence-based and experience-based medicine.

Web-Based Undergraduate Medical Education in a Virtual Learning Environment Using an Original Pedagogical Approach: an Observational Longitudinal Study

ABSTRACT Background Asynchronous Web-based Medical Education in Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) has grown steadily because of its many advantages. Various configurations and instructional methods are presently available. The existing proposals are poorly structured and/or not very effectively used for teaching diagnostic skills to undergraduate medical students in Brazil. A robust instructional method with positive pedagogical characteristics is needed. Thus, we have proposed a pedagogically-structured method for VLEs that includes a motivating initial reading (Medical Chronicle – MC), and a knowledge building program, using real cases coupled with audiovisual resources (Diagnostic Workshop – DW). We aimed to verify its acceptance, as well as the efficacy of the MC/DW method in improving the diagnostic ability of medical students, in the long term. Methods An opinion survey, two MC/DW materials and two Knowledge and Diagnostic Skills (KDS) questionnaires on stroke and epilepsy were developed, and two medical student groups were followed up in this 2013 longitudinal observational study. The students answered a KDS1, and attended a traditional lecture on one of the topics. They also accessed a VLE to apply the MC/DW method on stroke or epilepsy. We applied the same questionnaire (KDS2 and KDS3, respectively), one month and 5-6 months after the KDS1. We analyzed the mean KDS1 score of all the students, and the mean pairwise of those who accessed and those who did not access the VLEs during these three stages. An opinion survey was applied, and the results were analyzed by descriptive statistics. Results 87 students participated in the study, but six were excluded as they did not answer the questionnaires. The KDS1 general mean score was 1.59 (SD0.71). We found that 66 students (81.5%) accessed the VLE, showing a significant improvement in diagnostic skills in the KDS2 (mean5.65, p&lt;0.05) and KDS3 (mean 4.57, p&lt;0.05), with non-significant variations for those who did not access it. The MC was considered at least good for 62 students (94%), with 52 students (78.8%) finding that a checklist was sufficient to clear up all their DW doubts. Conclusions The MC/DW method in VLE proved to be effective for improving the diagnostic capability of the undergraduate medical students in the long term, and it was well accepted by the students. It presents several positive pedagogical characteristics and can be replicated.

Web Tabanlı Tıp Eğitimi Yönetim Sistemi Geliştirilmesi; Özel Sonuç Raporu Özeti

Zorlu tıp eğitimi sürecine ilişkin sorunların kısa vadeli çözümü; zamanı ve mevcut kaynakları daha verimli şekilde kullanmaktır. Tıp eğitiminin planlanması ve yürütülmesi sırasında göz önünde tutulması ve değerlendirilmesi gereken çok fazla parametre mevcuttur. Özellikle insan gücü ve diğer fiziksel kaynakların sınırlı olduğu üniversitelerde kısıtlı imkanlarla eğitim kalitesini değerlendirmek ve geliştirmek zorlu bir mücadeledir. Sonuç özeti sunulan bu projede özellikle tıp eğitimine ilişkin yönetici ve karar verici öğretim üyelerinin ve tıp fakültesi yönetiminin eğitim sürecine ilişkin olabildiğince fazla parametreyi gözleyebileceği, kontrol edebileceği ve toplam iş gücünü kısıtlı kaynaklara uygun şekilde dağıtacak planlamalar yapabileceği bir yapı oluşturulmuştur. Sistem tasarlanırken sadece eğitime ilişkin parametreler değil, yönetimi kolaylaştıracak; kurul çalışma modülleri (elektronik belge yönetim sistemi dahil), soru bankası modülü, Ulusal Çekirdek Eğitim Programı Uyumluluk Modülü gibi ek modüllerde sisteme entegre edilmiştir. Projede yer alan veri tabanları ve ara yüzler, tıp eğitiminin karmaşık yapısını ve yönetilmesi gereken veri büyüklüğünü ortaya koymaktadır. Projede gerçeklenen sistem esnek ve modüler olduğu için gerek veri tabanları gerek ara yüzler farklı istekler doğrultusunda dikey ve yatay eksenlerde artırılabilecek veya azaltılabilecektir. Yönetim sistemine ilişkin veri tabloları 'ilişkisel veri tabanı yönetim sistemi' mantığı ile yapılandırıldığı için tüm veri tabloları anahtarlarla birbirine bağlanmıştır. Farklı modüllerde yapılan değişiklikler tüm sistemdeki ilişkili tablolarda otomatik olarak uygun düzenlemeleri sağlamaktadır. Veri tabanı yapıları gibi hesaplama algoritmaları da modüler tarzda geliştirildiği için sistem üzerine aşırı yük bindirmeden gerekli hesaplamalar ve düzenlemeler hızlıca yerine getirilmektedir. Sisteme proje süresi boyunca sanal veriler yüklenmiş, gerekli testler gerçeklenmiş, çıktıların manüel kontrol ve doğrulamaları yapılmıştır. Her yeni geliştirilen sistemde olduğu gibi bu sistem de kullanıldıkça zaman içinde kullanıcılardan gelecek geri bildirimler çerçevesinde geliştirilmeye devam edilecektir.

Web-based online education of pediatric medical imaging: current situation and prospect

Web-based medical education has permeated into almost every corner of traditional medical teaching, persistently upgrading the medical teaching models and qualities, and network teaching has become the hot spot of modern education mode. Although the medical network education industry is in good shape, due to many factors, the development of pediatric imaging network education goes slowly. By comparing current situation of our and other countries' pediatric imaging websites, this study aims to reveal the deficiencies of domestic online teaching in pediatric imaging, and further, to probe the practical meaning and strategy in construction of pediatric imaging teaching website stations, so constructing our own website stations is beneficial for the development of pediatric imaging education of our country. Key words: Pediatrics; Medical imaging; Web-based teaching; Website construction

Knowledge, attitude, behavior, and practice of study on assessment of social networking among students and its impact on them

Background: Social media networks offer a straight forward way to converse among people and sustain relationships among them. The use of Internet for Web-based medical education is still lacking in the current scenario. Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine the usage of social media among college students, that is, how they use it for their medical education and how it affects their communication with others and their self-concept. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 200 undergraduate medical students, in a tertiary care teaching hospital, Tamil Nadu. A self-administered questionnaire designed for the study was distributed among the students. Results: Of the 200 students, nearly 84 (42%) students have started on social networking site during their I MBBS. Regarding the average time spent on social networking sites, 143 (71.5%) students spend more than 2 h and share social issues, personal issues, share jokes, etc. One hundred thirty (65%) students have installed medical apps, while 70 (35%) students have not installed any medical apps. The frequently accessed sites include Medscape, PGMED, USMLE, and others. Thus, this study highlighted the importance of utilizing the social media for the education and training. Conclusion: The geographical scope of the study was limited to a single teaching-based center. Responses of the respondents are biased and so they may not reveal the true state in some conditions. Social network is a vast subject and hence, there is lack of in-depth analysis in this study.

The History and New Trends of Medical Informatics

ABSTRACT The breakthrough of the computer and information technologies in all the segments of the society, led to the needs for the computer and information technologies. The knowledge of information technology is now part of general literacy. The computer literacy does not require comprehensive and detailed knowledge of the electronics or programming. Although with the electronic computer which is the invention of our age, the attempts of the construction of the first machine for the processing of the information reach far in the history of human civilization. The only and global function of a computer data processing can be naturally separated into the series of the other elementary operations, as for examples are: ‘the followup of the data, their registration, reproduction, selection, sorting, and comparison’ and so on. The computers are being classified according to ‘the purpose, type and computer size’. According to the purpose the computers it can be of the general and specific purposes. The computers for the general purpose serve for the commercial applications or any other application that is necessary. If medical informatics is regarded as a scientific discipline dealing with theory and practice of information processes in medicine, comprising data communication by information and communication technologies (ICT), with computers as an especially important ICT, then it can be stated that the history medical informatics is connected with the beginnings of computer usage in medicine. The medical informatics is the foundation for understanding and practice of the up-to-day medicine. Its basic tool is the computer, subject of studying and the means by which the aspects and achieve the new knowledge in the studying of a man, his health and disease, and functioning of the total health activities. Current network system possesses the limited global performance in the organization of health care, and that is especially expressed in the clinical medicine, where the computer technology has not received the wanted applications yet. In front of us lies the brilliant future of the medical informatics. It should expect that the application of terminal and personal computers with more simple manners of operation will enable routine use of computer technology by all health professionals in the fields of telemedicine, distance learning (DL) (web-based medical education), application of ICT, medical robotics, genomics, etc. The development of nature languages for communication with the computers and the identification of input voice will make the work simpler. Regarding the future of medical informatics education there are numerous controversies. Everybody agrees that the medical informatics is very significant for the whole health care and for the needs for personnel. However, there is not yet the general agreement regarding the teaching programs, because the medical informatics is very involved and propulsive, what makes the performance of the stable education programs more difficult. There are also not general agreement in which year of studding should transfer the knowledge from medical informatics. The majority of the experts still agree that the priority should be given in later study years, since more and more students enroll the faculties with prior informatics illiteracy, and the comprehension of some medical informatics fields is not possible without prior clinical knowledge. How to cite this article Masic I. The History and New Trends of Medical Informatics. Donald School J Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2013;7(3):301-312.

Novel Educational Approach for Medical Students: Improved Retention Rates Using Interactive Medical Software Compared with Traditional Lecture-Based Format

Mannequin and computer-based simulators are useful for the practice of patient management, physical procedures, and competency. However, they are ineffective in teaching clinical medicine. StepStone Interactive Medical Software (SS) is a web-based medical learning modality that provides the user with a highly focused set of evaluative and interventional tasks to treat memorable virtual patients in a visual case-based format. To determine whether the SS learning modality is superior to traditional lecture format in medical student learning and retention. After Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was obtained and the consents were signed, 30 third-year medical students were assigned randomly to 2 groups of 15 students each: The control group received two 30-minute PowerPoint lectures (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington) about torsades de pointes (TdP) and pulseless electrical activity (PEA), and the SS group was given 1 hour to review 2 SS cases teaching TdP and PEA. A preintervention test was given to assess their baseline knowledge. An immediate postintervention test was given to both groups. Twenty-two days later, a long-term retention test was administered. The results were analyzed using a Student t test for continuous variables. The mean scores for the preintervention test in the control and SS groups were 44.9 ± 3% and 44.1 ± 2%, respectively (p = 0.41). The mean scores for the postintervention test in the control and SS groups were 61.7 ± 2% and 86.7 ± 2%, respectively (p < 0.001). Improvement from baseline knowledge was calculated, and the mean improvement was 16.8 ± 3% in the control group and 42.5 ± 2% in the SS group (p < 0.001). The long-term retention test revealed the mean scores of 55.8 ± 3% in the control group and 70.1 ± 3% in the SS group (p < 0.001). Long-term improvement from baseline knowledge was calculated and the control group improved by 10.9 ± 4%, whereas the SS group improved by 26 ± 3% (p = 0.002). The SS learning modality demonstrated a significant improvement in student learning retention compared to traditional didactic lecture format. SS is an effective web-based medical education tool.

Novel Educational Approach for Medical Students: Improved Retention Rates Using Interactive Medical Software Compared with Traditional Lecture-Based Format

Mannequin and computer-based simulators are useful for the practice of patient management, physical procedures, and competency. However, they are ineffective in teaching clinical medicine. StepStone Interactive Medical Software (SS) is a web-based medical learning modality that provides the user with a highly focused set of evaluative and interventional tasks to treat memorable virtual patients in a visual case-based format. To determine whether the SS learning modality is superior to traditional lecture format in medical student learning and retention. After Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was obtained and the consents were signed, 30 third-year medical students were assigned randomly to 2 groups of 15 students each: The control group received two 30-minute PowerPoint lectures (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington) about torsades de pointes (TdP) and pulseless electrical activity (PEA), and the SS group was given 1 hour to review 2 SS cases teaching TdP and PEA. A preintervention test was given to assess their baseline knowledge. An immediate postintervention test was given to both groups. Twenty-two days later, a long-term retention test was administered. The results were analyzed using a Student t test for continuous variables. The mean scores for the preintervention test in the control and SS groups were 44.9 ± 3% and 44.1 ± 2%, respectively (p = 0.41). The mean scores for the postintervention test in the control and SS groups were 61.7 ± 2% and 86.7 ± 2%, respectively (p < 0.001). Improvement from baseline knowledge was calculated, and the mean improvement was 16.8 ± 3% in the control group and 42.5 ± 2% in the SS group (p < 0.001). The long-term retention test revealed the mean scores of 55.8 ± 3% in the control group and 70.1 ± 3% in the SS group (p < 0.001). Long-term improvement from baseline knowledge was calculated and the control group improved by 10.9 ± 4%, whereas the SS group improved by 26 ± 3% (p = 0.002). The SS learning modality demonstrated a significant improvement in student learning retention compared to traditional didactic lecture format. SS is an effective web-based medical education tool.

Web-based Medical Education: The Experience in Iran

Background: Purpose: Methods: Results: Conclusion: Keywords: Journal of Medical Education Summer 2004; 5(1);23-2 WEB - BASED EDUCATION Given the rapid expansion of computer and web access in Iran and the potentials of computer assisted or web-based learning, it seems reasonable at this time to invest on e-learning in terms of physical, technical and human resources The student had the main role in the classes They found the modules satisfactory and session as long as 8 hours were completed without any students’ complaint. CME course received the same warm welcome from the participants. Three major fields for developing educational modules were identified: UME, faculty development, and CME programs. In each field one or more modules were designed and conducted. To establish the foundation of web-based medical education . World Wide Web is growing more accessible with lower costs throughout the world and in Iran this makes web – based education a convenient option for delivering at least part of education in medicine.

Learner Satisfaction With Web-Based Learning as an Adjunct to Clinical Experience in Burn Surgery

Web-based learning provides an effective adjunct to clinical experience in medical education. However, few efforts have assessed learner satisfaction with web-based medical education experiences. American Burn Association and Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS)-Now is a self-directed web-based curriculum designed to teach clinicians how to assess and stabilize patients with serious burns during the critical hours after injury. The purpose of this study is to evaluate time spent by learners taking the course, to demonstrate successful completion of an exam by these clinicians after the course, and to describe learner satisfaction with ABLS-Now. This preliminary descriptive study analyzed exam scores and voluntary course evaluations of medical students and interns to assess effectiveness of and satisfaction with the web-based ABLS-Now curriculum. Eighteen students and interns completed the web-based ABLS-Now curriculum and follow-up survey. The mean exam score was 88%. Learner scores strongly correlated with time spent completing the course (r2 = .66, P = .01). Learner satisfaction was very high. Learners expressed an interest in using similar web-based tools to learn about other topics in surgery. For novice clinicians, ABLS-Now seems to be an effective way to provide basic burn care education at a time when other educational opportunities have been reduced by work hour restrictions. Learners found the modules easy to use, relevant, and interesting. They indicated an interest in future use of web-based learning to supplement clinical experiences. Web-based learning represents an effective and well-received addition to clinical education in surgery for residents and medical students.

Emotional and cognitive information processing in web-based medical education

The patient–physician relationship can be conceived as a process of structuring an ill-structured emotional-cognitive problem. So, new methods should be developed in order to capture the relations among emotions and cognitions, and physicians should be educated to recognize the influence of emotions on medical decision-making. The paper describes GRASP, an e-learning application based upon the assumption that cognitions and emotions are dual concepts. The results of a blended e-learning experiment are shown. The students were confronted with a role-playing based illness narrative. Their observations were segmented into information units, and uploaded on the e-learning system DVLN. The set of information units was then transformed into a bipartite graph, and analysed by means of STRUCTURE, an application aimed at grasping the structure of the relations among a set of “objects”. The results were compared with Correspondence Analysis. The implications for medical education, medical reasoning, and medical record design are discussed.

A software framework for the development of Web-based medical education using learning object classes

A software framework for the development of Web-based medical education is proposed. The objective is to optimize the development process by introducing Learning Objects (LO) and Learning Object Classes (LO Classes) so that the content preparation can be separated from the educational issues, ergonomic design, and technical realization. Based on the concept of case-based, problem-oriented education, different learning scenarios were analysed and then modelled as different LOs. These LOs can be further abstracted in several reusable LO Classes that represent certain patterns of content structure, pedagogical concept, and user interface. With the help of LO input templates, the educational material can be prepared by the authors in the authoring process easily and appropriately. An LO content management system was developed to store and maintain different LOs and to generate the Web-presentation of LOs adaptively and dynamically in the tutoring process. This software framework has been applied to the exemplary development of an interactive course in orthopaedics. The LOs and LO Classes also help to maintain consistency of the course representation to users. As a result, more efficiency in the development phase and good usability and quality of the end products can be achieved.

A practical guide to developing effective web-based learning.

Online learning has changed medical education, but many "educational" websites do not employ principles of effective learning. This article will assist readers in developing effective educational websites by integrating principles of active learning with the unique features of the Web. Narrative review. The key steps in developing an effective educational website are: Perform a needs analysis and specify goals and objectives; determine technical resources and needs; evaluate preexisting software and use it if it fully meets your needs; secure commitment from all participants and identify and address potential barriers to implementation; develop content in close coordination with website design (appropriately use multimedia, hyperlinks, and online communication) and follow a timeline; encourage active learning (self-assessment, reflection, self-directed learning, problem-based learning, learner interaction, and feedback); facilitate and plan to encourage use by the learner (make website accessible and user-friendly, provide time for learning, and motivate learners); evaluate learners and course; pilot the website before full implementation; and plan to monitor online communication and maintain the site by resolving technical problems, periodically verifying hyperlinks, and regularly updating content. Teaching on the Web involves more than putting together a colorful webpage. By consistently employing principles of effective learning, educators will unlock the full potential of Web-based medical education.

Web-based learning: sound educational method or hype? A review of the evaluation literature.

The first reports of Web-based medical education appear in 1992, building on 30 years of computer-assisted instruction. Proponents claimed computer-assisted instruction is superior to text-based, lecture, and traditional educational methods for reasons that include control by the learner over content, time, and place of learning; enhancement of learning, reasoning, and efficiency; and cost savings. Many studies that reported advantages contained methodologic flaws and reported advantages unrelated to computer-specific features. Web-based learning (WBL) represents a further evolution of computer-assisted instruction. Technical advantages of WBL include universal accessibility, ease in updating content, and hyperlink functions that permit cross-referencing to other resources. These technical advances, specifically hyperlink and searching capabilities, fit the constructivist learning theory, where learners search out and create their own knowledge bases. However, as was evident with computer-assisted instruction, potential advantages may not translate into significant improvements in educational outcomes. With the widespread adoption of WBL, it is critical that medical educators have evidence regarding its performance as a learning medium. This paper reviews the medical, dental, and nursing WBL evaluation literature to: (1) identify which facets of WBL have been evaluated, (2) describe the evaluation strategies used, (3) synthesize the findings, and (4) discuss educational implications and future research directions.

The application and evaluation of adaptive hypermedia techniques in Web-based medical education

This article discusses the design issues involved in delivering Web-based learning materials. An existing application in the medical domain - JointZone - is used to illustrate how personalization and an interactive environment can be incorporated into Web-based learning. This work applies the combination of an adaptive hypermedia, situated-learning approach and hypermedia linking concepts to facilitate online learning. A usability study was carried out on the work described and an evaluation was undertaken to measure the effect of personalization on various learning factors. The evaluation outcome was analysed subjectively and objectively. The results proved to be contradictory but, nevertheless, the work gives new insights into the use of technology to support learningDOI:10.1080/0968776020100303

The application and evaluation of adaptive hypermedia techniques in Web-based medical education

The application and evaluation of adaptive hypermedia techniques in Web-based medical education