It appeared to be a good idea at the time but ... A few steps closer to understanding how technology can enhance teaching and learning in medical education.

摘要

I think most medical educators now accept that e-learning is here to stay but there are still nagging doubts about how it can be used in the most effective way to enhance teaching and learning (Baldwin et al. 2011). Creating an e-learning resource, whether it is a podcast, virtual patient or an online module, initially appears to be a simple task but the reality is that even the most carefully designed resource may not be used by the learner, and if it is used, it may not be used in the intended way. This is not only very frustrating to all concerned but can also prove to be extremely costly, both in wasted time and effort but also in financial terms. The collection of articles in the current issue of Medical Teacher offers some essential and highly practical advice to all educators who want to ensure that the development and implementation of e-learning resources is done in the most effective and efficient way. Carefully following this advice is also likely to be the most cost-effective approach, and this is increasingly of concern to eveiyone in the present economic climate (Walsh 2010).