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The educational context
‘The challenge for medical educators is to be aware of the new changes and to consider how the latest technology can be used to enhance learning’ (Sandars and Haythornthwaite, 2007).
Technological innovations appear tempting, particularly when students are learning at a distance and when there is such an array of possibilities available. However if we are going to talk about e-learning in an educationally useful way we need to start by talking first about teaching and learning. Taking an approach that first identifies and looks for answers to educational challenges will be more likely to result in the appropriate use of technologies (Laurillard, 2008). Technology must take second place to good practice in education, hovering ‘shyly in the wings, ready to lend its power, but only as needed’ (Ahmed, 2003).
Three models or frameworks help us think about the place of e-learning in clinical teaching:
- The ‘Seven Principles’ of good teaching practice
- Distinguishing between the ‘content’ and the ‘process’ of e-learning
- ‘Constructive alignment’.
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