[Evaluation of a user habit-based ophthalmologic e-learning platform]. / Evaluation eines nutzerorientierten eLearning-Angebots für die Augenheilkunde.

BACKGROUND: In medical studies digital learning is often achieved by the use of learning management platforms, such as Ilias. Lecture presentations and organizational documents are typical contents. Students use multiple, mostly external learning options for acquisition of knowledge and competences. We present our updated ophthalmology e­learning environment for medical students and its evaluation. OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of an ophthalmology e­learning platform for medical students, which considers prevalent learning habits. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The platform should provide and link a selection of internal and external learning resources following anatomical structures of the eye. For every subject area the platform provides a text with essential matters, clinical cases, lecture presentations, multiple choice questions for practice, links to corresponding chapters of a textbook and the appropriate AMBOSS learning cards (Amboss GmbH, Berlin, Germany). At the end of the semester an evaluation of the platform was carried out. Different statements were rated by the students on ordinal scales and analyzed. RESULTS: The platform was rated with 1.47 ± 0.54 (mean ± standard deviation; n = 107) on a German school grade scale (1 = best, 6 = worst). It was perceived as helpful for the individual learning with 1.62 ± 0.77 (1 = very helpful, 7 = not helpful at all). The structuring of the internal and external learning resources was rated as very good 1.44 ± 0.66 (1 = very good, 7 = very bad). The median for subjective amount of usage was 1-5 h (ordinal scale <1, 1-5, 6-10, 15-20, >20 h). CONCLUSION: It appears to be meaningful to specifically link external learning resources corresponding to the own curricular structure in order to provide medical students with a modern basis for learning in ophthalmology.

[Implementation of a digital semester for ophthalmology during the COVID-19 pandemic]. / Umsetzung eines digitalen Semesters Augenheilkunde während der COVID-19-Pandemie.

BACKGROUND: The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic posed great challenges for teachers and students, as teaching had to take place despite the restriction of classroom teaching. For attendance lessons and events with patient contact alternatives had to be arranged at short notice between mid-March and the beginning of the semester in mid-April. OBJECTIVE: Description of the concept and implementation in the student teaching at the Department of Ophthalmology of the University Medical Center Mainz in complete digital form in spring 2020. PRESENTATION OF CONCEPT: Lectures, examination course and practical training in ophthalmology take place in the 5th and 6th semester of the study of human medicine. The basis of the new concept were the former course curricula. Implemented concepts included a complete revision and implementation of lectures as video podcasts, examination videos, online examination conferences, interactive patient cases, narrated videos of surgery, anamnesis videos of patients and the design of the virtual patient room, a live online practice with presentation and examination of patients including transmission of the slit-lamp image to reproduce anterior and posterior segment examination. An evaluation showed a very positive reception of the new concept by students. DISCUSSION: Within a tight timeframe of 4 weeks a complete revision of the ophthalmology course was achieved. The implementation was time-consuming, with the largest share in the media production of examination videos, interactive patient cases and video podcasts of the lectures. We consider a reduction of classroom teaching for parts of the learning objectives that can be represented by such videos to be possibly useful. An independent digital appropriation of such content may enable a more productive learning environment in face-to-face teaching.