title: Feeling connected: technology and the support of clinical teachers in distant locations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This paper discusses a key finding arising from a qualitative research project which explored the provision of educational support to clinical teachers who were at least 100 kilometres distant from a university medical school.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined the preferences of clinical teachers in relation to the preferred use of technology as a medium for educational support.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative approach was used for which 19 participants were interviewed using structured interviews consisting of prepared open-ended questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All participants reported that they had a very positive association with the university. However, they overwhelmingly expressed a need to feel more strongly connected to the university and with each other.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although a trial of the videoconferencing technology had problems, there was still great potential to connect clinical teachers in a Community of Practice.
authors.affiliation: University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand. peter.gallagher@otago.ac.nz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D020375:Education, Distance; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000639:trends*; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009520:New Zealand; D012424:Rural Population; D049269:Videoconferencing