- Published: October 31, 2021
- Updated: October 31, 2021
- University / College: Indiana University Bloomington
- Language: English
- Downloads: 33
AbstractThis paper presents ananalysis of learning effectiveness for the Medical and Para-medical courses in Christian Medical College, Vellore. In recent years, Computer technology altered the landscape of the educational field particularly in highereducation.
Students’ interactions are strongly encouraged through Learning Management systems. The learningmanagement system (LMS) is responsible for integrating all learning services .It consists variety of tools andfunctions to support teaching and learning processes like course managementtools, online group discussion, evaluation and grading.Introduction IT enabled learning in new dimensions. Recent advances inmultimedia technology, high performancenetworking enhance the e-learning technology.
With this enhanced technology thelearning has become easy for our students via LMS.Christian Medical College and Tufts University of Health Scienceshave worked collaboratively for the last 7 years to use E-learning tostrengthen and enhance medical education with particular emphasis to undergraduatemedical education at Christian Medical College. The focus of this work has beenon developing technical capacity, creating locally appropriate content,increasing faculties’ use of e-learning methods both within and outside theclassroom, manage the curriculum more efficiently, making these resourcesavailable to mission hospitals and to disseminate this information to othermedical colleges in India.
Curricularoffice administration1. The entire MBBSschedules are uploaded on the E-learning website2. The majority ofMBBS lectures are uploaded on the E-learning website and students canseamlessly access the entire teaching resources of CMC.3. All studentfeedbacks are conducted on the E-learning website4. Announcements andassignments are conducted on the E-learning websiteAll these have enhanced educational administration, making manyprocesses paper less, more efficient in manpower and time.5. 4058 scientificfiles (lecture presentations; quizzes, feedback and evaluations; sample interactivecases; scientific publications of CMC; working papers; teaching materials; andimages from anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology and physiology) have beencreated for use by undergraduate MBBS students.
There are 3580 study materials(representing 25 different file types) that have been uploaded on thee-learning website.6. The total hit rateover the last year was 142919.DepartmentalprojectsDepartmental projects in Anatomy, Biochemistry, Microbiology andSurgery have involved developing locally relevant resources and using these inthe undergraduate training. These resources include: Anatomy — histology slidelibrary, dissection videos, digitizing of Anatomy diagrams, resources forteaching cross-sectional anatomy using MRI; Biochemistry — interactive cases,image library of biochemical disorders, interactive site for recent articlesand asking the biochemist questions; Microbiology — videos of laboratoryprocedures, slide library, interactive cases, microbiology newsletter.
Theseresources have been developed and their use in the curriculum is currentlybeing evaluated. These are examples of departments where E-learning is wellincorporated into the process of teaching and learning.Curriculuminnovation projects The E-learning project has stimulated the faculty to developlocally appropriate learning resources, use these in their teaching and promoteactive teaching and learning processes in the classroom. 20 innovation grants havebeen awarded to faculty to develop innovations in E-learning and these havespanned the areas of undergraduate, postgraduate, distance education andpatient education .Educational research projects are underway such as the use ofhandheld devices for delivery of distance education and processes for developingof open educational resources are underway.Supportfor postgraduate and distance educationThe E-learning website is now used to support the Fellowship inSecondary Hospital Medicine, the PG Diploma in Family Medicine and MPHprogramme of the Community health department.Electronicplatform for supporting education in mission hospitalsInfrastructure has been developed in 10 Secondary hospitalprogramme hospitals to use the E-learning website. Two staff from each of thesehospitals have been trained to develop courses on the E-learning website.
Nowall these hospitals have access to all the learning resources within the CMCE-learning website. These hospitals are in the process of planning andimplementing projects towards developing management guidelines for juniordoctors and developing resources for their educational courses. An electronicplatform based on a hub and spokes model to enhance educational networkingbetween CMC and the mission hospitals is envisaged. Report of current status of projects andoutcomesThe goal of this project is to strengthen medical education at CMC. The specific objectives of this project were:1. Developand deliver high-quality curricula that are appropriate and relevant to local healthcare needs in India2. IncreaseCMC faculty’s capacity to manage both the technical and content creationcomponents of e-learning.
3. Sharethese resources with secondary hospitals networked to CMC so as to reach needy areasof the country and to disseminate this work to other medical colleges in India4. Worktowards self-sufficiency through the resources and capacity that have beencreated through the projectFaculty and departments1. Facultyhave enhanced skills in be able to use the E-learning website, producingelectronic educational resources, using it in their teaching, developingcourses on the E-learning website2. 424faculty from 44 departments have been trained in the use of E-learning website3. 20faculty have been trained at Tufts University in the use and incorporation ofthe E-learning website in the curriculum4. Anatomy,Biochemistry, Microbiology and Surgery have undertaken departmental projects tocreate locally appropriate electronic resources including slide libraries,videos, interactive cases, quizzes, interactive sites, newsletters andincorporate these into their curriculum. All these departments have been usingthe E-learning website to promote active learning by students.
5. 20innovation projects have been funded to develop electronic resources and use itin teaching in various areas including undergraduate medical, allied healthscience, distance education, postgraduate and patient education.6. E-learninghas been incorporated as a skill to be learnt at the Medical Educationtechnology workshops.
7. Severalpostgraduate departments are using the E-learning website for conducting staffand postgraduate training and uploading their learning resources. Eg.Radiology, Rheumatology, Radiation physics, Nephrology.
Students1. Studentshave improved skills in using the E-learning website2. Allstudents in their I MBBS and II MBBS receive training in the use of theE-learning website. They all received user names and passwords on enteringmedical colleges. 3.
E-learninguser support staff meets regularly with student curriculum representatives toobtain their feedback and suggestions.4. Studentsin their departmental feedback have indicated the usefulness of the E-learningwebsite in facilitating their learning:- Uploadedlectures, interactive cases, slide libraries have been found to be extremelyuseful- Departmentssuch as Anatomy have encouraged students to make dissection videos. This helpsthem to retain better what they study- Studentssay they are able to listen better in class- Italso helps them in preparation for the examination particularly the lectures,slide libraries and Frequently asked questions5. Thetotal hit rate for 2009 was 142919. The student hit rates are veryhigh in the I MBBS, II MBBS and final MBBS. They also peak particularly beforethe University examinations. Educational AdministrationEducational administration has been facilitatedin the following ways1.
Uploadingof schedules2. Thelecture presentations of the entire curriculum can be reviewed3. Announcementsare made on-line4. Assignmentsare given online5.
Weeklyon-line quizzes and case of the week are put up6. Studentfeedback has become completely electronic. This has improved the feedback loopbetween conducting the feedback and availability of summarized feedback toDepartments and the Principal’s office. 7. On-linetests can be conducted in groups of 40.
Educational processes and innovations1. Facultyand students can seamlessly access educational materials across the curriculumthrough the E-learning website.2. Facultiesare using resources of other departments in their teaching thereby enhancingintegration.
3. E-learningis enabling departments to work together on educational projects. 4. E-learningwebsite is encouraging faculty to promote active learning in and outside theclassroom as opposed to didactic teaching through interactive cases, case baseddiscussion, discussion forum.Educational innovationThe E-learning website has spurred educationalinnovation at CMC in the following ways:1. Departmentprojects2. Innovationgrants 3. Useof hand held device for supporting distance education in mission hospitals4.
Creatingdigital libraries eg. Histology library, historical diagrams, video libraries,case libraries5. Facultyare developing locally appropriate electronic learning resources that willeventually be made available as open educational resources.6. Creatingon-line courses that staff and postgraduates can undergoUse in distance education and postgraduateeducation1. TheE-learning website supports the Fellowship in Secondary hospital medicine, thePG Diploma in Family Medicine and MPH course conducted by the department ofCommunity health.
2. Inthe distance courses the E-learning website is being used to delivery coursematerials, submit assignments, conduct on-line discussions, discuss cases, makeannouncements and maintain data base of marks. Conclusion: The Learning Management system can be usedeffectively when all the management,staff and students co-operate and worktogether.
