What is Electronic Publication

Medical educators commonly place considerable importance on the notion of “interactivity” in the educational process. Interactivity may be defined as a reciprocally active situation whereby a two-way flow of information or opinion exists between a source and a user, and where the source responds to the user's input. Advocates of interactivity maintain that well-designed interactivity in educational systems helps capture the learner's interest, has the potential to speed the learning process, and even allows for continuous assessment of the degree to which the material is mastered. Medical educators also point out that technology can allow for high-quality interactivity by providing for frequent and relevant user feedback, by recognizing when students misunderstand a concept, and by providing learning aids such as animations or graphs that vary depending on user input. However, badly designed interactivity can also impede student progress.