Evaluation of e-learning teaching activities in Mediterranean countries

In the IntraMEDnet project, financially supported by European Union in the program of Interreg III B Archimed, scientists, from different Institutions of Mediterranean Area (Greece, Cyprus and Italy), cooperated for developing related educational modules, which have been combined dynamically in a virtual classroom on the Web, in order to create integrated educational units. The aim of this paper is to illustrate the methodology utilized in the development of this project and the validation and evaluation by the users. In order to identify educational needs and excellencies among the partners of the consortium, general thematic areas of common interest were identified and for each of them the partners developed learning objects, that have been taught in general curricula of involved institutions, for Medicine and Biomedical Engineering students. Moreover, such learning objects can be shaped to support self-directed (or expert instructed) problem-based learning, enhancing patient-oriented approach to medical education. The project also considered the improvement of this virtual connections between Universities, Hospitals and Research Centers of Mediterranean Area to grow into an integrated environment for sharing the learning process and to support research collaborations. A web questionnaire has been developed in order to evaluate by the users the e-learning platform and the learning objects, produced in the project. The data have been analyzed to assess technical aspects and the satisfactions of the users. The results of this study suggest a major utilization of this new methodology of education, in the classical curricula in Faculties of Medicine and Engineering, also for sharing experiences between geographically separated countries and Institutions.