Making the neurology clerkship more effective: can e-Textbook facilitate learning?
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Chiang S Jao1, Steven U Brint, Daniel B Hier
1Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation, University of Illinois, 912 S. Wood Street 855N (M/C 796), Chicago, IL 60612-7330, USA. csjao@uic.edu
Objective:
In 1998, the 4-week neurology elective clerkship was converted into a 2-week required neurology rotation at the University of Illinois at Chicago. We hypothesized that the interactive e-Textbook, a computer-assisted learning tool, could successfully replace a paper-based syllabus and a traditional neurology textbook during a 2-week rotation, while incorporating department teaching conferences to replace the medical student lecture series.
Methods:
We created an e-Textbook and made it available simultaneously in a CD-ROM format and on a password-protected website. The online quiz and course assessment were administered by the Blackboard Web Server.
Results:
After implementation of the e-Textbook over 6 years, the feedback shows high student satisfaction, and student evaluations of the neurology clerkship have risen. Creation of an e-Textbook for the neurology clerkship made our faculty more productive while increasing student satisfaction and facilitating learning efficacy.
Discussion:
The results show that the e-Textbook is an appropriate alternative to facilitate learning of basic and clinical neurology during a 2-week rotation. The students demonstrated successful learning in a computerized environment.
