Meeting the computer technology needs of community faculty: building new models for faculty development.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to identify the evolving computer technology needs and interests of community faculty in order to design an effective faculty development program focused on computer skills: the Teaching and Learning Through Educational Technology (TeLeTET) program.


METHODS
Repeated surveys were conducted between 1994 and 2002 to assess computer resources and needs in a pool of over 800 primary care physician-educators in community practice in East Texas. Based on the results, we developed and evaluated several models to teach community preceptors about computer technologies that are useful for education.


RESULTS
Before 1998, only half of our community faculty identified a strong interest in developing their technology skills. As the revolution in telecommunications advanced, however, preceptors' needs and interests changed, and the use of this technology to support community-based teaching became feasible. In 1998 and 1999, resource surveys showed that many of our community teaching sites had computers and Internet access. By 2001, the desire for teletechnology skills development was strong in a nucleus of community faculty, although lack of infrastructure, time, and skills were identified barriers. The TeLeTET project developed several innovative models for technology workshops and conferences, supplemented by online resources, that were well attended and positively evaluated by 181 community faculty over a 3-year period.


CONCLUSIONS
We have identified the evolving needs of community faculty through iterative needs assessments, developed a flexible faculty development curriculum, and used open-ended, formative evaluation techniques to keep the TeLeTET program responsive to a rapidly changing environment for community-based education in computer technology.
Baldwin
Constance D
CD
Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0344, USA. cbaldwin@utmb.edu
Niebuhr
Virginia N
VN
Sullivan
Brian
B
D003153:Community Health Services / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D003197:Computer Literacy; D003201:Computers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003479:Curriculum; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D018961:Educational Technology / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D005180:Faculty, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D011361:Professional Competence; D014481:United States