Lecture recording, microlearning, video conferences and LT-platform - medical education during COVID-19 crisis at the Medical University of Graz.

Objective: In the course of the COVID-19 crisis it became necessary to convert the majority of classroom teaching to e-learning. This should be done in a uniform and transparent way for the study programs of the Medical University of Graz. Methodology: We built on the Virtual Medical Campus, which has existed since 2003. For the summer semester 2020, we focused on an expansion of the automatic lecture recording system, microlearning and the implementation of video conferences as well as the learning platform LT. Results: The number of lecture recordings increased from 170 to more than 700, weekly accesses reached more than 80,000, with nearly 4,200 students. In the Microlearning system, an average of 82,516+-12,071 SEM learning steps per week were completed, which represented a highly significant increase compared to the same period of the previous year (15,101+-4,278 SEM; t-test: t=5,2638, p<0,0001). Video conferencing via WebEx was a newly introduced tool that was used extensively for interactive seminars, but also for oral exams. The LT platform from AdInstruments was successfully used as a replacement for practical training, especially in physiology. Conclusions: Based on sufficient preparatory work, a rapid expansion of e-learning ensured that teaching could be continued in the form of home learning despite the exceptional situation caused by COVID-19. Success factors were the provision of selected technical tools, consistent communication of the university management and technical and content support for teachers and students by a central staff unit.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) for long-distance education in geriatric medicine across Europe : A pilot project launched by the consortium of the project "Screening for Chronic Kidney Disease among Older People": SCOPE project.

PURPOSE: To cover the increasing need for professional knowledge, skills and competences in the care of older people, new learning techniques have been developed. Using the Internet to provide educational material has come into focus of many academic institutions as the learning content can easily be transferred to a larger audience. Since the first launch of a "massive open online course" (MOOC) in 2008, this educational format has raised increasing interest among education experts. The current publication provides insight into the new format of MOOCs in general and specifically describes a MOOC developed by a Pan-European Consortium "Screening for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) among Older People across Europe" (SCOPE), a project funded by the European Commission under the umbrella of the Horizon 2020 program. METHODS: Technical background, learning theories and content of the MOOC of the SCOPE project are presented in this overview. RESULTS: The MOOC of the SCOPE project is provided on the MOOC ICT platform iMoox. The courses are built up of video clips, textual descriptions, graphics, animations and audio designed with a clear structure and learning goals. The concise video clips with a maximum length of 15-20 min are equipped with additional learning material such as documents, links and asynchronous communication opportunities. CONCLUSION: MOOCs are recognized as a contemporary approach to transfer required knowledge and skills not only in general but also in geriatric medicine, as the health and social care environment is ever-changing and becoming more complex.

Simulation of a mycological KOH preparation--e-learning as a practical dermatologic exercise in an undergraduate medical curriculum.

BACKGROUND: Mycological KOH preparation is one of the most popular practical laboratory skills in dermatology. The study addresses the question whether an interactive simulation program enhances knowledge of students about this procedure. METHODS: 166 students, 107 female and 59 male, participated. We separated our study in three phases: pretest, completing the simulation three times and post-test. In the pre- and post-test we recorded the number of correct steps of the mycological KOH preparation listed by the students. The full text feedback was explored by content analysis. RESULTS: In the pre-test the students listed an average of 3.1 +/- 2.2 correct steps, compared to 8.8 +/- 1.2 correct steps after completing the simulation (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the improvement was significant for each individual step. There were no significant differences between male and female students. In content analysis of the feedback, positive statements prevailed with 78.3%, compared to only 1.8% critical items. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that an interactive computer simulation program of mycological KOH preparation results in a significant learning effectiveness as far as recall of the correct procedural steps is concerned. Furthermore, subjective acceptance by students is high.