Improving education in primary care: development of an online curriculum using the blended learning model

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Standardizing the experiences of medical students in a community preceptorship where clinical sites vary by geography and discipline can be challenging. Computer-assisted learning is prevalent in medical education and can help standardize experiences, but often is not used to its fullest advantage. A blended learning curriculum combining web-based modules with face-to-face learning can ensure students obtain core curricular principles.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This course was developed and used at The Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and its associated preceptorship sites in the greater Cleveland area. Leaders of a two-year elective continuity experience at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine used adult learning principles to develop four interactive online modules presenting basics of office practice, difficult patient interviews, common primary care diagnoses, and disease prevention. They can be viewed at <url>http://casemed.case.edu/cpcp/curriculum</url>. Students completed surveys rating the content and technical performance of each module and completed a Generalist OSCE exam at the end of the course.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Participating students rated all aspects of the course highly; particularly those related to charting and direct patient care. Additionally, they scored very well on the Generalist OSCE exam.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Students found the web-based modules to be valuable and to enhance their clinical learning. The blended learning model is a useful tool in designing web-based curriculum for enhancing the clinical curriculum of medical students.</p

InterGEO: a digital platform for university education on geomorphological heritage

The project InterGEO was carried out with the objective to disseminate knowledge on geomorphological heritage by developing a digital learning platform. It aims at improving students' autonomy by the reduction of face-to-face teaching and increasing autonomous learning as well as promoting international interactions between students interested in geomorphological heritage. A completely free-access virtual course on geomorphosites was developed with the Learning Management System Moodle. The course is divided into 24 thematic chapters, each of them containing a short description, a list of references and selected publications, as well as other educational material (videos, virtual fieldtrips, etc.). In particular, several videos allow presenting in a dynamic way concepts and examples. The paper presents the tool and its use in academic programmes in six European universities, where it was tested, in various contexts (Bachelors' and Masters' programmes; students in geography or geology; general courses in geomorphology and specific courses on geoheritage and geoconservation), before discussing the advantages and challenges the tool is facing. The InterGEO platform is an easy-to-use and friendly educational tool, which allows developing blended learning activities; it is flexible and adaptable in various learning contexts.The coordination tasks (appointment of an assistant) and two workshops in Lausanne were financed by the University of Lausanne (Teaching Innovation Fund and Investment Fund of the Faculty of Geosciences and Environment, FGSE). The videos were designed and created with support of the universities of Lausanne (TIF) and Savoie Mont Blanc (IDEFI Promising and ReflexPro; LabEx ITEM)

Online forums: a tool to enhance experimental engineering laboratories

Asynchronous discussion forums were implemented as an e-learning tool to enhance the teaching of principles in materials science for first year undergraduate students in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Time in the laboratory is restricted and therefore only one experiment can be achieved in the class. Asynchronous discussion forums were used as means of enhancing content, extending student participation and facilitating student discussion subsequent to the laboratory session. From online feedback surveys, conducted at different stages throughout the class, results showed 60% of the students had never used online forums before, 96% of the students engaged in the activity and 80% of the students agreed that online forums are an alternative platform to use to discuss and compare results when time in the laboratory is restricted. The implementations of asynchronous discussion forum encouraged students to conduct deep learning in order to enhance the discussion thread they were involved