AD Learn

A comprehensive course on Alzheimer‘s disease and related disorders

Project Leader

PD Dr. med. Christoph Hock
chock@bli.unizh.ch
Division of Psychiatry Research
Universität Zürich
Lenggstrasse 31
8029 Zürich

Project Coordinator

Pascal Py
pascal.py@bli.unizh.ch
Division of Psychiatry Research
Universität Zürich
Lenggstrasse 31
8029 Zürich

Project Partners

Summary

The comprehensive Internet course on Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders is successfully used since 2003. Medical student can choose between two different courses, available in three languages (English, French, and German), matching university curricula and built out of several learning modules. The pedagogical concept integrates visualization and problem based learning (PBL). The content replaces conventional lecture teaching and free some teacher’s time for more intensified bedside-teaching. It is provided in two interlinked pillars: (I) a collection of typical cases (PBL) and (II) a systematic approach organized in chapters. With the case reports students acquire necessary knowledge from the relevant fields (psychiatry, neurology, neuropathology, neuroimaging and pharmacology) as well as mastering online-databases for drugs (MedlinePlus/English; Documed/ French & German) and primary literature (PubMed). Following the concept of visualization, pictures, drawings, animations and videos are part of the project. Based on his profile, each student organizes personal information (e.g. annotation, auto-evaluation test results), interacts with other group members (teacher–student as well as student–student) via e-Community services (FAQ, forum, direct email-contact). The e-Learning solution runs on a multi-purpose open platform. This system is interfaced with Zurich VAM portal and complies with SWITCH Authentication and Authorization Infrastructure broadening access to the course to all Swiss medical faculties.