The next Rural Health Education Foundation satellite broadcast is scheduled for 28 September on stroke prevention. Universities and other higher education institutions now commonly thrust undergraduate students into online teaching and learning environments. However, postgraduate students in vocational medical training have a more limited experience of online education. Money and resources are less of an impediment. Conceptually, online education represents a form of distance education which uses hypermedia for its delivery.
Online education fosters a democratic exploration of knowledge and learner-centred teaching styles.
This has been achieved through an increased provision of computers and establishment of I SP connections for many GP registrars situated in rural and remote areas. It relates to the social well-being of a GP registrar as a learner. However, this objective to improve the social well-being of GP registrars does not address more specific problems relating to teaching and learning online. It does not address the conflict in teaching and learning styles that occurs between the more learner-centred and democratic possibilities of online education and traditional medical training approaches. Rather, any challenges to oral traditions of vocational medical training incur 'group think' responses which appear to place greater value on elitist credentialism than presenting clear educational reasons and directions for the successful implementation and maintaining of online education.