Twelve tips for facilitating successful teleconferences.

BACKGROUND: The work of medical education is increasingly collaborative across geographical sites, sometimes spanning international borders. The success of projects depends more strongly on how meetings are led and run than variables about the task itself; therefore, excellent communication using teleconferencing technology is required. However, we found no medical literature to assist with developing best practices in telecommunication. AIM: Using the organization and management literature, which has examined the use of telecommunication in optimizing work outcomes, we provide a guide for initiating and facilitating teleconferences. METHODS: We used Tuckman's framework for group development as a means of organizing guidelines that address practical issues in approaching communication on teleconferences and discuss important aspects of forming work groups using telecommunication, setting ground rules and norms, addressing conflict, and enhancing accountability and outcomes. RESULTS: We identified 12 tips for optimal teleconferencing and divided them into phases of formation, setting ground rules, managing conflict, and enhancing group performance. CONCLUSION: Successful work on teleconferences requires excellent attention to the group process, especially since full engagement by participants is not always assured.

Impact of an in-person versus web-based practice standardized patient examination on student performance on a subsequent high-stakes standardized patient examination.

BACKGROUND: Optimal methods of preparing students for high-stakes standardized patient (SP) examinations are unknown. PURPOSES: The purpose is to compare the impact of two formats of a formative SP examination (Web-based vs. in-person) on scores on a subsequent high-stakes SP examination and to compare students' satisfaction with each formative examination format. METHODS: Clustered randomized trial comparing a Web-based module versus in-person formative SP examination. We compared scores on a subsequent high-stakes SP examination and satisfaction. RESULTS: Scores on the subsequent high-stakes SP examination did not differ between the two formative formats but were higher after the formative assessment than without (p < .001). Satisfaction was higher with the in-person than Web-based formative assessment format (4.00 vs. 3.62 on a 5-point scale, p = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Two formats of a formative SP examination led to equivalent improvement in scores on a subsequent high-stakes examination. Students preferred an in-person formative examination to online but were satisfied with both.

Educational technology infrastructure and services in North American medical schools.

PURPOSE: To describe the current educational technology infrastructure and services provided by North American allopathic medical schools that are members of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), to present information needed for institutional benchmarking. METHOD: A Web-based survey instrument was developed and administered in the fall of 2004 by the authors, sent to representatives of 137 medical schools and completed by representatives of 88, a response rate of 64%. Schools were given scores for infrastructure and services provided. Data were analyzed with one-way analyses of variance, chi-square, and correlation coefficients. RESULTS: There was no difference in the number of infrastructure features or services offered based on region of the country, public versus private schools, or size of graduating class. Schools implemented 3.0 (SD = 1.5) of 6 infrastructure items and offered 11.6 (SD = 4.1) of 22 services. Over 90% of schools had wireless access (97%), used online course materials for undergraduate medical education (97%), course management system for graduate medical education (95%) and online teaching evaluations (90%). Use of services differed across the undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education continuum. Outside of e-portfolios for undergraduates, the least-offered services were for services to graduate and continuing medical education. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this survey provide a benchmark for the level of services and infrastructure currently supporting educational technology by AAMC-member allopathic medical schools.

Organizational models of educational technology in U.S. and Canadian medical schools.

PURPOSE: To examine the organizational structure of educational technology units within U.S. and Canadian medical schools in order to (1) identify organization models that support educational technology, (2) describe key attributes of these models, and (3) discuss the strengths and challenges associated with these models. METHOD: The authors distributed a survey to 88 schools that had previously provided information on their educational technology services and infrastructure. The authors developed the survey through a series of pilots and, then, from the data for each respondent school, created concept maps, which were used to identify organizational models. The authors conducted analyses to determine differences among models. The authors coded the comments about organizational models and identified themes. RESULTS: The authors received adequate data for analysis from 61 schools (69%). Four models for educational technology organizations emerged: (1) centralized units located in the school of medicine, (2) centralized units located at the health science center, (3) centralized units at the comprehensive university, and (4) no centralized unit (Dispersed Model). The majority (75%) of schools relied on some type of centralized organization. Whereas few organization attributes proved to be statistically significant, the centralized models have more resources devoted to educational technology and a closer alignment with the academic mission than the Dispersed Model. CONCLUSIONS: Medical schools primarily use central models. The authors recommend that schools structuring their educational technology resources consider exploration of a central model because of its focused use of resources to improve teaching and learning.