I support Dr Satish ,as he says e learning has a lot of flexibility in all aspects and follows all adult learning principles very essential in learning

Dr Shobha e learning can be very effective in using hidden curriculum as we can assess the process effectively ,medical graduates are not being produced on line but by on line exams which are successfully being implemented for eg NEET

Dr Sujith answering your first point yes interactive class room is indeed possible when we put technology to proper use ,surveys and quizzes can make it possible

on behalf of Dr Suhasini i would like to answer Dr Prashanth ,yes it is possible practically with coordination from all sectors

Dr Nirmala ,I would like to dispute your points

1.Absence of personal interaction with teachers can be avoided by regular on line interaction

2.Time spent in searching information by itself is a learning process so well spent

3.Practical skills can very well be learnt due to repitition

4 assessment can be improved with time with stringent rules

5.In fact e learning makes us more social as less effort is needed to communicate

6 Clinical skills can be taught with e learning tools effectively

7 Web costs are very minimal now and are good investment for a secure future for teaching

I support Dr Vidya ,yes a learner is an adult learner ,you cannot forcibly make him sit in a classroom and listen ,so to increase his concentration you have to stimulate his interests ,best way being e learning

Dr Srinivas that is the whole point which we trying to discuss, e learning as you have agreed has advantages and you say it has disadvantages ,which we are trying to overcome ,a rose however beautiful it is has thorns which are protective mechanism for it ,we are seeing enormous potential in e learning which will overcome all the starting problems and hiccups and become an asset for M.E

I beg to differ from Dr Philipbauer ,we are here talking about education and not food,water or electricity ,we already have existing infrastructure,colleges and trained teachers ,we are trying to implement e learning to keep up with the fast advancing technology in the world and to improve our teaching standards with the help of latest electronic tools,adolescent population if left unaided and unguided with their gadgets will definitely go astray ,now is the time for us to step in and gradually guide them to look towards e learning

I would like to dispute Dr Sudarshan Raj,i dont agree that e learning is a hyped up entity ,all over the world e learning is being blended with conventional one so that authenticity and relevance are controlled in delivering proper content to the students,knowledge is being tested in the form of on line surveys and quizzes and on line tests ,data processing though out sourced is absolutely controllable by the academic administrators ,the on line exams taking place in our country are examples for that

Dr Srinivas i agree that students are using electronic gadgets but if you see their content most of them are having text books and practical points and useful videos ,it lies in our hands to channelise their interest and stimulate them academically ,hold on line quizzes ,give small prizes ,form on line groups and keep them busy

Dear Dr Rama,happy to see your response but would like to dispute point wise,

1 we are suggesting blended type of learning where the student is shown and taught most essential things to know and these are followed up by e learning where the student is introduced to audio and video demonstrations which he can practise and see them repeatedly till he masters them

2.Oral communication skills where are we testing in the students in the present system except in the practicals and oral exams where each student gets hardly 5 minutes to interact with us,by e learning we are suggesting videos ,peer evaluation and 360 degree evaluation which can be done even through remote means

3.Show me one single student who has no smart phone ,thanks to the china phones and subsidised net charges thanks to companies like JIO, students are getting rapid net services and remember all colleges now have e libraries

Dr Sharon thanks for appreciating my points,Yes I agree that medical students have started viewing e learning as enjoyable and effective tool ,this is the time for us teachers to step in and channelise their interest and fascination towards learning by proper usage of technology ,we may have to spend some energy ,time and resources but it will be an effort well spent as i am sure you will agree that to get significant differences and positive results in pedagogic approaches we still have to convince some of the teachers to become tech savvy and fall into the line of e learning so that they learn to teach through net and use the gadgets judiciously

Yes I would like to support Dr Suhasini when she says video demonstrations can be very helpful for students learning, as i recollect way back in 1978 as students we used to hear the murmurs and heart sounds in an audio form and learn ,now in 2017 technology has increased so much that students can hear,see and feel all the signs and symptoms so clearly ,even watch live surgeries being done ,listen to experts speaking from all over the world again and again,here the main strength is reinforcement which is very much needed for slow learners

Dr Chandrakala no one presumes that medical graduates can be produced online but the necessity for e learning has been recognised because in this busy world teachers dont seem to having much time for students and teaching ,sadly most of the clinicians are busy with their practices so even with the conventional existing now the students are in search of knowledge on line ,so instead of that if we specially experienced teachers start e learning, we can guide them in a correct and proper direction with frequent on site classes

hai geeta I dont agree with your argument that e learning is not cost effective ,class rooms and faculty are already existing ,we are now talking as to how best to blend both and use e learning to the maximum extent,every student has now a smart phone thanks to the availability in the market and low prices due to competitive markets and every institute has e libraries ,e learning is very much the need of the hour for developing countries to keep abreast with developments of the world

Dr Sharon ,merry Christmas ,i would like to support Dr Padmanabh ,concentration lapses or intrusions can happen in conventional teaching also ,so many times we call our students bodily present,mentally absent so it is our duty to make e learning so active and exciting that we can hold the attention of the students,coming to lack of knowledge about e learning ,students are smarter nowadays and are faster with technology too and mundane things like power supply ,connectivity shall be sorted out and solved by active and able administrators,where there is a will there is always a way for sure

Dr Prashanth

the debate here is whether e learning is need of the hour or waste of time ,if learners want to cheat on line or teachers want to plagiarise articles the basic ethics come into question,it is going to be war of good against bad ,cheaters will be cheaters whether on line or off line with absolutely no sense of morals so we have to think of moving ahead ,keeping abreast with the changing trends and technology ,think what is best for learners and teachers,otherwise the entire world is going to move ahead leaving us confused and in chaos

with regards

Dr Ramani

Dr Prashanth

I have gone through your post which is very interesting,the article has been published in 2007 and i am sure you will agree that in these 10 yrs technology has progressed a lot ,plagiarism is now being checked ,if students are cheating in on line exams or submitting others essays whom are they helping by cheating ,i feel the students should be made to realise that cheating for temporary gains is not going to help them in anyway in the long run,most of the entrance exams like the NEET for UG and PG entrances have been made on line and chances of cheating have in fact decreased since students realise that cheating will only affect their rank and is detrimental for own self

with regards

Dr Ramani

Dr Prashanth ,merry Christmas ,for addiction we are not using e learning,yes they are addicted to the content ,we have to wean them off this illegal and unethical content and use their smart phones tablets and laptops for educational purposes because these gadgets have come into our lives to stay

and are like double edged weapons and we have to make proper use of them,I am not denying the efficacy of physical activities at all ,brain jogging can also be done through quizzes

with regards

Dr Ramani

Dr Imran happy Christmas,let me answer you point wise

1.Purchasing gadgets is not a one time investment but you should agree that initial investment is heavy with updating investment lessening with time and after all where are we without technology? ,we have to keep updated with the world

2.Assessment methods such as attitude ,communication skills ,professionalism and empathy can be assessed by on line methods with surveys ,projects ,video recordings when students are taking history or counselling patients ,we can also do peer or 360 degree evaluation,professionalism comes into force through organisational skills which again rely heavily on technology

3.Coming to the 3rd most important part i.e students getting bored with e learning ,it will never happen as e learning gives us a scope to improvise each time ,in fact e learning is helping the older generation to keep in tune with the younger ones,facebook,twitter and other social media link all- both young and old ,teachers and students ,I am a living example for that,our whole goal is to divert the learners from porn and other illegal activities on net to educational activities because inter net has come to stay whether one likes it or not,the onus lies on the teachers to get across to learners in an interesting manner ,keep stimulating them and in the mean while keep learning

with warm regards ,have a nice day

Dr Ramani

Dr Sujith first let me wish you a very merry Christmas ,any new development in education should be considered an investment digital libraries,access to e learning materials, assessment methods and documentation which are being managed in a very haphazard way can be channelised and disseminated to more people with ease and please remember any progress cannot be done without a little expenditure and the time we are spending i feel is well spent

have a nice day

Dr Ramani

Dear Dr Sai leela ,I would like to congratulate you for getting across to thread 1.2,yes there are initial problems ,which method hasn't got problems? the fact is you persisted and the mentoring team helped you in logging in which shows the efficacy of e learning ,members sitting in their individualhouses have come together to help you out .Let me tell you on a sunday that too a pre christmas day if we are all talking about teaching and learning it is all because of our net ,other wise we would all wait for tuesday - a working day to come to sort out our problems . Regarding the domains as you said ,how many students are able to learn effectively in a crowded ward or demo room ,here we are able to provide one to one repetitive experiences and chance to hone their skills again and again till they become perfect ,yes I do agree teachers are role models for students for taking history and affective domains ,we are suggesting blended teaching and audio visual clips to show teachers demonstrating these skills., Core competencies like leadership communication skills all can be better achieved by on line assignments and project works I am sure you will agree with me

Dr Sharon ,I deeply respect your points but the onus of motivating poorly motivated learners lies on our shoulders ,this is best done by use of E Learning which can stimulate their interest ,their study habits can be stimulated by using multi media ,whole point of instructors not being available for the learners again emphasises need for distant learning ,human touch which is utterly lacking I agree in todays conventional teaching too can be developed by E mentoring and close monitoring by mails and portfolios -Dr Ramani

Here are my inputs in favour of the motion

E-learning is necessity of the hour because it is not fixed or time bound to a particular schedule and is very easily accessible, so learners can choose a place and time of their own liking,teachers can also update and edit learning material at their own convenience, Accessibility of content via small size of gadgets, mostly hand-held, also complements this feature, main impt point is that E-learning does not have any boundaries and is useful in remote and rural areas as well, Learners may belong to any part of globe, Rare cases and diseases peculiar to a particular geographical area can also be studied globally. More number of students can be taken up at same time, thereby reducing time needed for total lectures.Content once made is eternal, and can be revisited any number of times. E-learning can be used to practice skills before actually encountering real patient. This decreases probability of error , saves time and allows repetition, thereby improvement in the desired skills occurs ,Helps in deeper learning, increases self-motivation, and fulfils adult learning principles, It also allows participants to set their own pace as per their learning styles and can be used as best suited tool for personalized and interactive e-learning experience. It is tailored to student’s needs and is learner-centered, thus helping in self-directed learning, It also allows participants to set their own pace as per their learning styles and can be used as best suited tool for personalized and interactive e-learning experience. It is tailored to student’s needs and is learner-centered, thus helping in self-directed learning.

with regards

Dr Ramani,2017 batch