Videoconferencing for Instructional and Administrative Purposes: The Audience Reacts

Abstract

Reduced funds for medical student and resident training have prompted the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University to explore innovative instructional delivery and administrative support systems. The Office of Medical Education Research and Development conducted a demonstration project in the use videoconferencing technology to connect the main campus to three outstate sites. The objectives of the project were to provide instructional experiences for students, residents, and faculty using videoconferencing; to conduct administrative meetings; and to evaluate the use of videoconferencing in these contexts. The results of the demonstration project lend strong support to the use of videoconferencing technology for instruction and administrative support, even in light of technical constraints. Lessons were learned in the areas of working with vendors effectively, preparing presenters to use the system, and the need to test system peripherals and connections before the actual videoconference.