Computer-based E-teaching(virtual Medical Teaching) or traditional teaching: A comparison between Medical and Dentistry students

Introduction: E-Leaming is presented through electronic technologies and includes Internet, computer, video and so on. Learning creates creates large flexibility in learning methodology, pivotal management, simultaneous & non simultaneous interaction between trainers and students,organization of course time,lesson plans and finally assessment of students. The aim of this research is comparison of effect of L-learning in students of Guilan University of Medical Sciences.Material & Methods: This study was performed as a clinical trial procedure. The target population was undergraduate students of medicine and dentistry entered Guilan University of Medical Sciences in 1388.A package named" virtual Medical Teaching "and devised by the researchenhave the second ranking in festival of shahid Motahhari in 1389) was used to teach medical students in the -first educational term. While we used traditional method to teach dentistry students. the scores of students was analyzed by SPSS software at the end of the term.Results: In this research 37 students in dentistry field and 75 course in medical field were included. The average scores of histology in medical students using virtual Medical Teaching was 15/45 and was 12/06 in dentistry students using traditional methods that was significantly different (P value=0/0001).The percent of failed students in histology in medicine and dentistry students were 0/02,0/27 respectively.Discussion: Results indicate use of package devised by the researcher named virtual Medical Teaching in histology lead to increase of level of scores in students. In a study llugenholtz and colleagues compared E-Learning and learning through oral presentation in continuing education for physicians but no significant difference was seen. Conclusion: In this study the scores of histology of students using "virtual Medical Teaching" were significantly higher than students using traditional procedures. We propose other factor such as living in dormitory and being or not being native resident-which may influence student's outcome-should be investigated. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd.