title: Evaluation of an online medical teaching forum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Social media is increasingly being used for teaching and assessment. We describe the design and implementation of a Facebook© teaching forum for medical students, and evaluate its effectiveness.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Facebook© teaching forum was set up in a London Hospital to assist with learning and assessment for undergraduate medical students. An independent online survey was used to collate their experiences. Accessibility to the forum, usefulness in stimulating peer-to-peer discussion and the use of weekly formative assessments were evaluated using a Likert scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 91 per cent (n=68/75) of students who had Facebook© joined the teaching forum. The majority of students completed the questionnaire (n=39/68, 57%). All students visited the teaching forum group at least once a week. A significant proportion attempted all 10 question sets (n=16/39, 41%). Students felt more comfortable asking questions in the forum than in ward rounds and clinics (n=22/39, 56%). The general consensus was that Facebook© could be used for educational purposes, with just 5 per cent of students (n=2/39) thinking that Facebook© should only be used socially and with 92 per cent believing that the forum helped to achieve the learning objectives of the curriculum (n=36/39).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Facebook© provides a safe environment for learning and discussion amongst medical undergraduates undergoing their clinical attachments. Furthermore, through formative assessments set by a medical educator, it provides a useful revision tool for summative assessments and reinforces knowledge learned through conventional teaching methods.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College School of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK.
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ravindran
authors.forename: Mavin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kashyap
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lilis
authors.forename: Sayinthen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vivekanantham
authors.forename: Gokulan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Phoenix
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D015397:Program Evaluation; D061108:Social Media; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055815:Young Adult