AMEE Guide 32: e-Learning in medical education Part 1: Learning, teaching and assessment

Abstract

In just a few years, e-learning has become part of the mainstream in medical education. While e-learning means many things to many people, at its heart it is concerned with the educational uses of technology. For the purposes of this guide, we consider the many ways that the information revolution has affected and remediated the practice of healthcare teaching and learning. Deploying new technologies usually introduces tensions, and e-learning is no exception. Some wish to use it merely to perform pre-existing activities more efficiently or faster. Others pursue new ways of thinking and working that the use of such technology affords them. Simultaneously, while education, not technology, is the prime goal (and for healthcare, better patient outcomes), we are also aware that we cannot always predict outcomes. Sometimes, we have to take risks, and 'see what happens.' Serendipity often adds to the excitement of teaching. It certainly adds to the excitement of learning. The use of technology in support of education is not, therefore, a causal or engineered set of practices; rather, it requires creativity and adaptability in response to the specific and changing contexts in which it is used. Medical Education, as with most fields, is grappling with these tensions; the AMEE Guide to e-Learning in Medical Education hopes to help the reader, whether novice or expert, navigate them. This Guide is presented both as an introduction to the novice, and as a resource to more experienced practitioners. It covers a wide range of topics, some in broad outline, and others in more detail. Each section is concluded with a brief 'Take Home Message' which serves as a short summary of the section. The Guide is divided into two parts. The first part introduces the basic concepts of e-learning, e-teaching, and e-assessment, and then focuses on the day-to-day issues of e-learning, looking both at theoretical concepts and practical implementation issues. The second part examines technical, management, social, design and other broader issues in e-learning, and it ends with a review of emerging forms and directions in e-learning in medical education.

Application of an Electronic Problem-Based Learning System in Undergraduate Medical Education Program

“…Within the scope of the electronically implemented PBL applications in medical education, there are examples indicating that sharing learning material supporting classical face-to-face PBLs, online discussion platforms following the PBL sessions, clinical reasoning applications in which students are able to participate in at different times individually or in groups and multimedia scenarios, virtual patients are integrated to PBL sessions [4,7,[9][10][11][12][13]. In Dokuz Eylul Faculty of Medicine model, all of the steps in the classical PBL format were electronically actualized by the students in synchronized e-PBL sessions.…”

“…It is known that the use of education technology and electronic learning applications have become increasingly widespread for education and assessment activities, they have also been integrated to PBL sessions, electronic applications increase the interest and motivation of students and promote learning, in this context, in medical education [4][5][6]. Recently, upon the increase in need for tutors in parallel with the increase in number of students, alternative searches have started to ease the educator's load.…”

E-Learning Initiative Capacity Building for Healthcare Workforce of Developing Countries

“…Aspects that are discussed are whether the Learning Management System (LMS) selected supports the chosen learning model and pedagogy and if the software is easy to use (Safie, 2009). Ellaway and Masters (2008) and Idachaba and Idachaba (2012) recommended that e-learning is not merely about the content and delivery of teaching, but is a pedagogical approach that aims to be flexible, engaging and learner-centered undertaking. It is the one that promotes interactions collaboration and communication.…”

Implementation of supplemental E-learning models for blended learning in pharmacology

“…Studies have also reported that E-learning can be used as an active learning strategy which promotes self-directed learning. [2] In today′s era students are more computer literate and the demand for technologybased learning at a time convenient to them has increased. Thus, there is shift of focus from classroom teaching to self-directed online learning environment which allows students to concentrate effort on useful information that they need to know and enhance retention of material.…”