E-learning and university teaching: a virtual, interactive, distance learning course

摘要

The Department of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, University of Rome "La Sapienza" has carried out an experimental project to compare e-learning with traditional teaching methods. University guaranteed the quality of the contents, Teleskill and Cisco System have provided the technology and network facilities. Thirty doctors participated to the virtual class, and thirty more doctors attended a traditional teaching course, based on the same topic. All the participants were asked to fill out an evaluation questionnaire both before and after the course (traditional or virtual). Moreover, they were asked to express their opinion on the new teaching method. The results have been very interesting, demonstrating a high level of satisfaction and interest toward new teaching technologies (82% of the participants), and an increase in knowledge comparable in the two groups (+22% in both). In the era of information technology, multimedia e-learning represents an available educational resource that demonstrated to be effective and interesting. We believe in a blended solution of virtual and traditional education.