Three Viewpoints on Web Conferencing in Health Sciences Education
Author Information
Author(s): Ruta Valaitis, Noori Akhtar-Danesh, Kevin Eva, Anthony Levinson, Bruce Wainman
Primary Institution: McMaster University
Hypothesis
What are the perceptions of faculty, staff, and students regarding the use of Web conferencing in health sciences education?
Conclusion
Participants viewed Web conferencing as an enabler for education, especially when face-to-face meetings were not possible.
Supporting Evidence
- 36 participants provided insights into their experiences with Web conferencing.
- Three unique viewpoints were identified: pragmatists, positive communicators, and shy enthusiasts.
- Participants agreed that more training on Web conferencing would be beneficial.
Takeaway
This study found that people in health sciences education generally like using Web conferencing because it helps them learn together, even when they can't meet in person.
Methodology
Q-methodology was used to identify unique and common viewpoints of participants who had exposure to Web conferencing.
Limitations
The study focused on a specific group of users and did not explore broader applications of Web conferencing.
Participant Demographics
{"medical_residents":14,"nursing_graduate_students":11,"health_sciences_faculty":9,"health_sciences_staff":2,"gender_distribution":{"male":12,"female":24}}
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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