CURRENT ISSUE
BACK ISSUES
SUBSCRIBE
ADVERTISE
ABOUT JCEHP
FOR AUTHORS
JCEHP AWARD
SEARCH
(Members only) FULL-TEXT
|
|
Volume 18 (2)
Volume 18, Issue 2, Spring 1998
J Contin Educ Health Prof 1998; 18(2):81-85
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Enhancing Interaction Using Videoconferencing in Continuing Health Education
David M. Kaufman, EdD
Hilary Brock, BSc
A b s t r a c t
Health professionals employ many methods for meeting their continuing education
needs. However, one essential element needed to change practice behavior, and consequent
patient outcomes, is the use of teaching approaches that provide interaction among participants
and the instructor. These interactions should be situated in a clinical context that is
relevant to participants. Videoconferencing links an instructor and participants at various
remote sites using audio and video communication. A number of programs that use videoconferencing
in health education have recently been described in the literature. All of these
programs report that this medium has been well received by participants and is a viable alternative
for delivering continuing education. There are many reasons why videoconferencing
can be justified. It permits rural health professionals to participate in educational events without
leaving their communities, and allows specialists at academic centers to reach learners
in many remote communities in a relatively cost-effective manner. However, new approaches
to teaching need to be employed with this medium. This paper describes a workshop delivered
at the Annual Meeting of the Alliance for Continuing Medical Education. This workshop
was based on a mini-case, followed by two questions: (1) Why would a 2-hour lecture with
slides be inappropriate for videoconferencing? and (2) What specific suggestions would you
make in designing this session? Several practical techniques are presented for conducting
successful videoconferencing sessions.
Keywords: Adult Education Principles; Continuing Health Education; Interaction; Teaching
Methods; Videoconferencing
|