The provision of education and training for health care professionals through the medium of the Internet

Abstract

Describes a new and experimental initiative to provide Internet-based courses to student and professional occupational therapists in four centres in the UK, Belgium, The Netherlands and Sweden. The basis of this collaborative Occupational Therapy Internet School (OTIS) is the concept of the``Virtual College''. The aim is to support and facilitate the whole range of educational activities within a remote electronic environment. A major feature of the course organisation is the adoption of a problem-based approach in which students will collaborate internationally to propose effective intervention in given case study scenarios. Outlines the rationale for OTIS, the content and structure of the courseware, the technical specification of the system and evaluation criteria. In addition to the more conventional Webbased learning facilities generally offered, a number of agentbased approaches are being adopted to assist in the management of the course by ensuring the proper delivery of course materials and to assist the functioning of project groups.

Web-based learning in professional development: experiences of Finnish nurse managers

“…Flexibility of learning and access to continuing education is a challenge for nurses who have work and family responsibilities, work shifts, and who may live a considerable distance from institutions of higher education (Beer et al. 2002).…”

“…Flexibility of learning and access to continuing education is a challenge for nurses who have work and family responsibilities, work shifts, and who may live a considerable distance from institutions of higher education (Beer et al 2002). It is not always feasible to Table 1 Web-based learning's benefits and disadvantages in professional development from an organizational perspective (Nisar 2002 remove nurses from the wards for long periods of training.…”