[eLearning-radiology.com--sustainability for quality assurance].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to analyze the availability of published radiological e-learning tools and to establish a solution for quality assurance.


METHODS
Substantial pubmed research was performed to identify radiological e-learning tools. 181 e-learning programs were selected. As examples two databases expanding their programs with external links, Compare (n = 435 external links) and TNT-Radiology (n = 1078 external links), were evaluated. A concept for quality assurance was developed by an international taskforce.


RESULTS
At the time of assessment, 56.4 % (102 / 181) of the investigated e-learning tools were accessible at their original URL. A subgroup analysis of programs published 5 to 8 years ago showed significantly inferior availability to programs published 3 to 5 years ago (p < 0.01). The analysis of external links showed 49.2 % and 61.0 % accessible links for the programs Compare (published 2003) and TNT-Radiology (published 2006), respectively. As a consequence, the domain www.eLearning-radiology.com was developed by the taskforce and published online. This tool allows authors to present their programs and users to evaluate the e-learning tools depending on several criteria in order to remove inoperable links and to obtain information about the complexity and quality of the e-learning tools.


CONCLUSIONS
More than 50 % of investigated radiological e-learning tools on the Internet were not accessible after a period of 5 to 8 years. As a consequence, an independent, international tool for quality assurance was designed and published online under www.eLearning-radiology.com .
Abteilung für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen. dominik.ketelsen@med.uni-tuebingen.de
D
D
Ketelsen
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R
Talanow
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M
Uder
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M
Grunewald
D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000592:standards*; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005858:Germany; D020407:Internet; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education*
eLearning-radiology.com - Nachhaltigkeit im Sinne der Qualitätssicherung.