Computer Aided Learning for Students in Infectious Diseases

Abstract

There is a perceived need to introduce computer-based learning into medical educational institutions, which still are using traditional teaching tools to a large extent. The overall goal of this project is to improve learning and teaching in the subject of infectious diseases with the aid of computer based learning, to make the students more active and better prepared for the first years of practice. We want both to maintain our present high teaching standards - in a tightening economic situation with reduced teaching resources - and at the same time develop our problem-oriented approach with active student participation. A central theme in undergraduate medical education is to identify and solve clinical problems through demonstrations and discussions of patient cases. It is often difficult to find an adequate number of patients with representative and important diseases. By using computer simulations of patient cases we can increase problem-oriented learning and stimulate student activity. For this purpose a new software system to simulate patient cases - Infaktiv - is being developed at the Department of Infectious Diseases in Uppsala, in collaboration with the hospital computer education centre, and with the support of the Council for the renewal of Undergraduate Education. It is intended for medical students attending infectious disease courses, and will be evaluated in regular teaching during 96/97. We also propose to activate student curiosity and stimulate to a global view of infectious diseases by utilizing Internet resources and our own hypertext material. We hope that with the aid of Internet learning each student can pursue his or her individual interests better, without compromising the basic and essential knowledge. A student Home page, consisting of the curriculum, questionnaires for answering clinical questions, forms for sending in criticism, directories of Internet resources, etc. will be constructed. We believe that our proposal represents an educational development that is inevitable, and already being implemented in several countries. We are convinced it will have a positive effect on student performance in solving clinical problems, and thus will have a long-term beneficial effect on our speciality. Establishing a network of colleagues in our field to promote the use of computers and Internet resources may also stimulate new ideas and lead to further initiatives in this area.