Evaluation of an online medical teaching forum

Background : Social media is increasingly being used for teaching and assessment. We describe the design and implementation of a Facebook c teaching forum for medical students, and evaluate its effectiveness. Methods : A Facebook c 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 c 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 c could be used for educational purposes, with just 5 per cent of students (n = 2/39) thinking that Facebook c 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). Discussion : Facebook c 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.