In the framework of the UNIBRAL-collaboration project between Brazilian and German universities, we initiated a project on distance education between Boa Vista, Brazil and Munich, Germany. Besides an exchange of faculty and students the joint creation of case-based online courses in infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, and genetics is the major goal of the project.

Each of the involved medical students were obliged to create a complete e-learning case module prior to their actual visit in the host country using the CASUS-learning system. Furthermore, each student developed a second case during the visit under close supervision of the involved faculty members. All cases will be available in Portuguese and German.

We report on the student-driven case development process. Special attention will be paid to the role of students as authors and teachers. Comparative evaluation data from the integration of cases in the pediatric courses in both countries will be presented. As the University of Roraima in Boa Vista has an entirely problem-based curriculum design in contrast to the University of Munich with a hybrid curriculum, this comparative evaluation also sheds light on the role of e-learning modules in different educational settings.

The strategies for further dissemination of the cases from the projects in Brazil and Germany will be described.

BENEFIT TO PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING SESSION:  

Attendees will learn about the potential role of medical students as authors and teachers in the context of international distance learning projects. The technical and pedagogical pitfalls (caching-mechanism, training of students, inter-cultural differences) of e-learning projects will be illustrated.

Tim Mueller
Medizinische Klinik - Innenstadt
Klinikum der Universität München
Ziemssenstrasse1
80336 München
GERMANY
Phone: +49 89 4560 2289
Fax: +49 89 5160 2366
Email: tim.mueller@instruct.de
Website: http://link.medinn.med.uni-muenche.de/instruct/

CO-AUTHORS:
Manfred Platz (LMU, Munich)
Sylvia Handl (LMU, Munich)
Martin R. Fischer (LMU, Munich)
Medizinische Klinik - Innenstadt
Klinikum der Universität München
Ziemssenstr. 1
80336 Muenchen
GERMANY

Ruy Souza (UFRR, Boa Vista, Brazil)
Universidade Federal de Roraima
BR 174 S/N Campus do Paricarana
Boa Vista - Roraima
BRAZIL

Phone: +49 89 5160 2289
Fax: +49 89 5160 2366
Email: souza@technet.com.br
sylvia.handl@instruct.de
martin.fischer@lrz.uni-muenchen.de
Website: http://link.medinn.med.uni-muenchen.de/instruct/