title: Health professional learner attitudes and use of digital learning resources.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Web-based digital repositories allow educational resources to be accessed efficiently and conveniently from diverse geographic locations, hold a variety of resource formats, enable interactive learning, and facilitate targeted access for the user. Unlike some other learning management systems (LMS), resources can be retrieved through search engines and meta-tagged labels, and content can be streamed, which is particularly useful for multimedia resources.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine usage and user experiences of an online learning repository (Physeek) in a population of physiotherapy students. The secondary aim of this project was to examine how students prefer to access resources and which resources they find most helpful.
  
  
  METHODS
  The following data were examined using an audit of the repository server: (1) number of online resources accessed per day in 2010, (2) number of each type of resource accessed, (3) number of resources accessed during business hours (9 am to 5 pm) and outside business hours (years 1-4), (4) session length of each log-on (years 1-4), and (5) video quality (bit rate) of each video accessed. An online questionnaire and 3 focus groups assessed student feedback and self-reported experiences of Physeek.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students preferred the support provided by Physeek to other sources of educational material primarily because of its efficiency. Peak usage commonly occurred at times of increased academic need (ie, examination times). Students perceived online repositories as a potential tool to support lifelong learning and health care delivery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study indicate that today's health professional students welcome the benefits of online learning resources because of their convenience and usability. This represents a transition away from traditional learning styles and toward technological learning support and may indicate a growing link between social immersions in Internet-based connections and learning styles. The true potential for Web-based resources to support student learning is as yet unknown.
authors: Monash University, Department of Physiotherapy, Frankston, Australia. stephen.maloney@monash.edu
authors: Stephen
authors: S
authors: Maloney
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Chamberlain
authors: Shane
authors: S
authors: Morrison
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Kotsanas
authors: Jennifer L
authors: JL
authors: Keating
authors: Dragan
authors: D
authors: Ilic
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004517:Education, Professional / Q000379:methods*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014495:Universities; D014739:Victoria