[E-learning about dementia: a randomized study].
BACKGROUND
Curricular medical training on dementia at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the University of Erlangen comprises of a traditional lecture. This setting was compared with two different E-Learning formats using a randomized study design.


METHODS
104 students (average age 26.3 +/- 3.6 years) were randomized into 3 groups: Interactive e-Learning; virtual lecture (slides and audio) and standard lecture (control group; 90 minutes).


RESULTS
Overall, the response rate was 40.4 %. Assessment of formal knowledge using a multiple-choice test yielded no differences between the three groups. In the students' evaluation, the interactive e-learning showed the best results (1.86 +/- 0.69), followed by the standard lecture (2.0 +/- 0.71) and the virtual lecture (2.6 +/- 0.8). Nevertheless, the students would not prefer e-learning to the standard lecture when both methods are directly compared.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that e-learning is equivalent to a standard lecture when formal knowledge is assessed. Evaluation results are best for interactive e-learning formats. The detailed reasons for the preference of different learning styles should be further investigated.
Weih
M
M
Psychiatrische und Psychotherapeutische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Schwabachanlage 6, Erlangen. markus.weih@uk-erlangen.de
Triebner
S
S
Heckmann
J
J
Segarra
L
L
Hahn
E
E
Kornhuber
J
J
D000328:Adult; D003479:Curriculum; D003704:Dementia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D011380:Programmed Instructions as Topic; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000193:education*; D013336:Students, Health Occupations; D013337:Students, Medical; D013663:Teaching; D013664:Teaching Materials