med:u - Creating Individual E-Learning Courses for Medical Education
Fast and Easily on the Platform "Jatek"
Gudrun Karsten, Christian-Albrechts-University
of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
ABSTRACT:
Development, implementation, and evaluation of a flexible easy-to-use e-learning environment for medical education are the main targets of the joint project "med:u - e-learning in medical education" and is supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany.
Center of the environment is the teleteaching/telelearning client-server platform JaTeK (Java based Teleteaching Kit) which was chosen because of its easy-to-use approach even for non-specialists, its open conception and its all-in-one philosophy. The platform is supplemented by an object-oriented database. It contains high quality, multimedia based, reusable knowledge modules as well as reusable teaching units ("courses") which are based on the modules.
The all-in-one philosophy of the system means that the same graphical user interface is used for creating or editing contents as well as for learning. The only difference between edit and learn mode is the number of commands available. The system includes communication tools, a glossary, an index, and several link-facilities. Furthermore, it covers the administration of contents and users. Based on Java the platform can be used with different operating systems like Mac, PC, or Linux.
The open conception of JaTeK allows implementation in the most different teaching/learning scenarios, as there are synchronous and asynchronous distance learning and attendance teaching. First implementations in the curricular studies of the pre-clinical stage of medicine were problem-based learning, postprocessing of lectures, seminars, and lab courses, accompanied by evaluations.
Up to now most content comes from the field of physiology and related clinical and pre-clinical fields. However, the concept allows the integration of objects from the complete domain of medicine and beyond. All knowledge modules are based on templates, which are small Java programs. Templates provide all necessary functionality for the creation of a module (in edit mode) and for interactive learning with a module (in learn mode). Illustrations, diagrams, video clips, animations, text, multiple-choice questions, and concept maps are only some of the templates provided. Templates, which are needed but not yet available, can be developed and integrated into the server site of the platform. Project partners are developing several templates specific for medical education, e.g. "MeasureMap" which provides functions to measure distances and areas in images and "ChartRecorder" for dynamical ECG and EEG data display and evaluation.
If a tutor wants to supply students with a course, he can choose one from the database and define student accounts. He also has the possibility of modifying a copy of the course in case it is not entirely accordant to his demands. If no appropriate course is available in the database he can easily create a new one by combining knowledge modules. These can be chosen from the database (with the option to modify them) and/or be newly created. We will demonstrate that even non-specialists can create extensive multimedia based courses, which are exactly coordinated with their own didactical conceptions and requirements.
BENEFIT TO
PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING SESSION:
You can learn how to create fast and easily e-learning courses while being able to see on-the-fly how they will present themselves to learners by using the platform "JaTeK". Being Java based, the platform with its communication tools connects people who use different operating systems like Mac, PC, or Linux. If you need very special functionality for presenting your contents you can develop an appropriate template and integrate it into the server site of the platform yourself.
Gudrun Karsten
Department of Physiology
(coordinator of med:u project)
Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel
Olshausenstr. 40
D-24098 Kiel
Germany
Phone: +49-431-8803298
Fax: +49-431-8804580