Institute for Occupational and Environmental Medicine • Ziemssenstrasse 1 • 80336 Munich

1. Institute for Occupational and Environmental Medicine • Ziemssenstrasse 1 • 80336 Munich Unit for Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology & Net Teaching • http://aumento.web.med.uni-muenchen.de/ The Pros and Cons of distance learning-An example from Germany- Katja Radon, Stefanie Kolb, Jörg Reichert, Martin Fischer

2. Definitions-1 • Distance learningLearning via radio, TV, phone, Internet (E-learning dictionary) • e-learningProviding computer instruction online, e.g. over the Internet (The free dictionary)

3. Definitions-2 • Blended learningCombination of different kinds of learning always including e-learning (E-learning dictionary) +

4. In the following talk… ….distance learning is defined as case-based e-learning via the Internet

5. Distance learning or learning in the classroom?

6. Advantages of distance learning • Available at any time (evenings, weekends, nights), independent of time zone • Material can easily be kept up-to-date • Available at any place (Computer + high speed Internet connection necessary) • World population 2005: 6.5 billion (US Census Bureau) • Worldwide Internet Population 2005: 1.1 billion (Computer Industry Almanac)

7. 69 Countries with Internet Coverage <1% Fiji, Faroe Islands, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burma, Ethiopia, Turkmenistan, Chad, Iraq, Central African Republic, Tajikistan, Cambodia, Nigeria, Yemen, Burundi, Niger, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Mozambique, Sudan, Guinea, Laos, Equatorial Guinea, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Nepal, Eritrea, Uganda, Zambia, Rwanda, Mauritania, Mali, Lesotho, Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, The Gambia, Paraguay, Azerbaijan, Syria, Sierra Leone, Benin, Moldova, Albania, Libya, Nicaragua, Haiti, Uzbekistan, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Vietnam, Georgia, Angola, Algeria, Honduras, El Salvador, Sri Lanka, Iran, Kazakhstan, Djibouti, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Togo, Bolivia, Tonga, Guadeloupe, Senegal, Netherlands Antilles, Ghana, Kiribati 33 Countries with Internet Coverage >30% Chile, Spain, Aruba, Czech Republic, Andorra, United Arab Emirates, Greenland, Taiwan, Malaysia, France, Italy, Ireland, Slovenia, Estonia, Belgium, Israel, Germany, United Kingdom, Portugal, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Japan, Switzerland, Singapore, Canada, Finland, United States, Australia, South Korea, Norway, Hong Kong, Iceland, Sweden, Denmark • CIA Worlds’ Fact Book 2004

8. Advantages of distance learning for specialists in occupational health • Might be used around current job • Might be used by mums/dads taking care of kids

9. Advantages of distance learning for specialists in occupational health • Might be used at distant, remote places • Might be used by health-care professionals with certain health conditions

10. Disadvantages of distance learningStudents’ perspective • No direct contact to teacher • No face-to-face interaction to other students • Might take time until students’ questions are answered

11. Disadvantages of distance learningTeachers’ perspective • It takes a lot of time to prepare AND update good teaching material provided in the web • You get a lot of questions outside your “business hours” • You do not know your students

12. Computer-oriented case based e-learning Story Chief complaint History taking, Occupational history Medical and technical examinations Background information:Workplaces, legal aspects Medical estimate

13. Implementation in the curriculum:1. Class room teaching1999-2003 • Lectures • 1 out of 6 seminars in the PC lab • 2-3 students work on one of the cases • Tutor assistants • Feedback and students’ evaluation at the end

14. Evaluation results – Class room teachingOverall rating by case Poor N=864 5th year medical students Excellent

15. Evaluation results – Class room teachingHow many lessons should be in the lab 6 N=864 5th year medical students 5 4 3 2 1 0

16. Evaluation results – Class room teachingUse and availability of computers N=173 5th year medical students winter 2002

17. Evaluation results – Class room teachingSummary • Students generally like working on the cases, • Internet coverage high, however, • Content does matter!!! • Blended learning is preferred

18. Implementation in the curriculum:2. Distance learning + Class room seminars (“Blended learning”) 2004+ • Lectures • Two 2-hour seminars with a tutor + • Working on ≥2 of the cases via the Internet (at home, at university, …) • Students’ evaluation at the end

19. Implementation in the curriculum:2. Distance learning + Class room seminars (“Blended learning”) 2004+ • Feedback features • Implemented in the system: -Immediate feedback on the answer given -Overall result (% of correct answers) in the end -Answer comments • “Hand operated”: -Protest button to authors -Email contact for problems

20. Evaluation results – Distance learning“Used e-learning before”

21. Evaluation results – Distance learning“The cases can easily be handled” Disagree Agree E-learning: Frequent users 1st time users

22. Evaluation results – Distance learning“Cases useful complement to lecture” Disagree Agree E-learning: Frequent users 1st time users

23. Classroom vs. distance learning “Working with the case was fun” Needle stick injury

24. Evaluation results – Distance learning Excellent n=54 Poor

25. Summary • Case-based distance learning for OM isfeasible • Students well accept distance learning but need feedback • The motivation of physicians in training to use distance learning might even be higher • There is no optimal way of teaching that suits everyone • Blended learning is preferred