1. Virtual learning Environments and Staff development
Prof. ABM Jamal
FCPS, FRCS(Edin), MMEd
Prof. of Surgery
Dhaka Medical College

2. Objectives of this unit
Define educational environment and staff development
Explain the importance of staff development
Improve his own educational environment
Motivate others regarding improving educational environment and development of staff.

3. Introduction
An improved learning environment is very important for running a successful educational outcome. At the same time every institution should have a policy to develop their own strategy so that every faculty member can get a scope to develop their own carrier. Now a day, virtual learning gets a momentum to develop the environment of the institute. As any other program. It is important to clearly define the goals and priorities in medical education courses.

4. Key feature of virtual learning environment
Large amounts of the user’s participation can be carried out online, being accessible
from any where in the world
at any time
at the convenience of the individual user

5. Forms of VLEs
Off-the-shelf systems--- commercial, programme of study, WebCT and Blackboard, not open to easy modification
Purpose-built systems---to meet local educational contexts, own VLEs for an institute, Dundy course
Open source systems---accessible, open.

6. Managed learning environments
Should not exist as an isolation
Serve personnel, finance, students records
timetable information
reading list

7. VLE modalities– on-campus vs. distance
communicate with each other under same campus
suits with personal lifestyles
tutorship
distance from the institution
CPD program
Health education
Enhance traditional methods from distance

8. Participants role in VLE
students
Tutors
Administrators
Technicians

9. Supporting courses Access to primary teaching and learning
Access to secondary learning resources
Communication
Course information
Scheduling information
Individualization and personalization
Knowledge base audit and quality assurance

10. Concerns of VLEs Object orientation
Security, authentication and identity
Rules, regulation and policing
Interoperability and sharing

11. Strengths of VLEs in medical education
individuals to interact with a course
support personalised learning experiences
better manage the logistics
better manage the administration
Support and extend the essence of a community of practice
support audit and quality assurance
provide integration with other systems.

12. Summary Increasingly becoming the norm
Generic off-the-shelf VLE systems may be purchased
can be used to manage learners and tutors
unprecedented levels of individualisation
Personalisation.

13. Staff development
Staff development or faculty development has become an increasingly essential component in medical education
Staff development is a planned program designed to prepare institutions and faculty members for their various role.
Important to clarify their role.

14. Ten roles of a teacher Assessor Evaluator Motivator Teaching-learning
Curriculum planner
Academic Scholar
Mentor
Planner
Performer
Assessor
Evaluator
Motivator
Teaching-learning
Vision

15. Target Population Medical teachers Course coordinator Administrator
Health care professional
Organizer

16. Approaches for teacher development
Workshops
Seminars
Short courses
Consultation with professional educators
Fellowship, master, Diploma, Certificate

17. “A medical school’s most important asset is its faculty” --- Whitcomb, 2003

18. Effective faculty development programs
Address the needs of the faculty participants and institution
Takes in to account the work place of the teachers
Integrate curriculum that emphasizes theory and practice
Opportunity for practice and feedback
build relationship among faculty members
Train more than one person from a setting

19. Challenges Priority settings
Balancing individual and organization needs
Motivating faculty
Obtaining nutritional support
Overcoming limited resourches

20. conclusion Integral part of an institute Separate body for that
Continuous process
Open but focused.

21. Thank you all
“ If you don’t know where you are going, you can’t know how to go there”