Current Products and Practice

Abstract

Virtual learning environments (VLEs) are attractive solutions for the delivery of education on-line. Orthodontic education online has the potential to alleviate some of the problems caused by increasing demands on academic staff, the impact of the European work time directives and changes in junior doctors' hours. All act to constrain the effective training of orthodontic postgraduates. The design of a VLE is driven by modern concepts in learning and teaching, the structure, content and assessment methods will help determine the range of behaviours any programme hopes to encourage. This paper aims to provide information on how a modular specialist-training programme in the United Kingdom has been developed and enhanced by a VLE.

Orthodontic education in the UK: Evolution over the last 50 years and potential future developments

“…The system chosen for the BOS VLE was Blackboard, which was in place in the host institution. The collaboration between nearly all orthodontic training programmes allowed the rapid development of a modular specialist-training programme for the UK, which was enhanced by the VLE (Ireland et al, 2005). Input to the VLE came from many involved in teaching (both NHS and university), eventually creating 44 modules, relevant to levels including orthodontic therapists and consultants in training, as well as their orthodontic teachers.…”