The Use of a Small Private Online Course to Allow Educators to Share Teaching Resources Across Diverse Sites: The Future of Psychiatric Case Conferences?

Abstract

Objective

The authors sought to demonstrate the feasibility of integrating small private online course (SPOC) technology with flipped classroom techniques in order to improve neuroscience education across diverse training sites.

Methods

Post-graduate medical educators used SPOC web conferencing software and video technology to implement an integrated case conference and in-depth neuroscience discussion.

Results

Ten psychiatry training programs from across the USA and from two international sites took part in the conference. Feedback from participants was largely positive.

Conclusion

This pilot demonstrated the feasibility of such a program and provided a diverse audience with the opportunity to engage in an interactive learning experience with expert faculty discussants. This may be a useful model for programs with limited local expertise to expand their teaching efforts in a wide range of topics.