title: Making environmental health interesting for medical students-internet assisted facilitated collaborative learning approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Topics on environmental health are usually neglected by students and it is necessary for them to learn this area with a public health perspective as environment plays a vital role in multi-factorial causation of diseases. Hence there is a need for alternative teaching/learning methods to facilitate students in acquiring the required knowledge.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To increase the student interest and enhance their participation in acquiring knowledge in public health perspective of environmental health. Teaching Objectives/Learning Were: At the end of the session students should know the importance of air as an environmental factor in disease causation in special reference to public health hazards, the major sources of air pollution, major pollutants causing the health hazards, the way to measure pollutants and control them.
  
  
  METHODS
  The whole class of students was divided into two batches and one session was planned for each batch. Each batch was divided into six small groups. The groups were given task of exploring the internet on the different topics mentioned in the learning objectives. All the students were asked to explore, compile information and collectively prepare a presentation and present their findings based on their reviews. Students' feedback was collected at the end of each session.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty five percent of them were clear about the learning objectives and interested about internet learning. Most of them gave a positive opinion about the newer teaching learning method.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Internet assisted group study served as a valuable alternative, innovative, and interesting tool to teach and learn the environmental health as revealed by students' feedback.
authors.affiliation: Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Sciences and Research, Pondicherry, India.
authors.forename: Manni Balasubramaniam
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Sudharsanam
keywords: Active learning; environment and health; internet assisted learning