title: How does tele-learning compare with other forms of education delivery? A systematic review of tele-learning educational outcomes for health professionals.
abstract: Telecommuniciation technologies, including audio and videoconferencing facilities, afford geographically dispersed health professionals the opportunity to connect and collaborate with others. Recognised for enabling tele-consultations and tele-collaborations between teams of health care professionals and their patients, these technologies are also well suited to the delivery of distance learning programs, known as tele-learning.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether tele-learning delivery methods achieve equivalent learning outcomes when compared with traditional face-to-face education delivery methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic literature review was commissioned by the NSW Ministry of Health to identify results relevant to programs applying tele-learning delivery methods in the provision of education to health professionals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The review found few studies that rigorously compared tele-learning with traditional formats. There was some evidence, however, to support the premise that tele-learning models achieve comparable learning outcomes and that participants are generally satisfied with and accepting of this delivery method.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The review illustrated that tele-learning technologies not only enable distance learning opportunities, but achieve comparable learning outcomes to traditional face-to-face models. More rigorous evidence is required to strengthen these findings and should be the focus of future tele-learning research.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, The University of Sydney.
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Munro
authors.forename: Ros
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: D Lynne
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Madden
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McGregor
mesh_terms: D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004496:Education, Continuing / Q000379:methods; D020375:Education, Distance / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D009517:New South Wales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods; D049269:Videoconferencing