Dental education resources on the Web

Abstract

New methods of delivering educational material are being developed in order to improve effectiveness and efficiency of learning. They are not designed to replace conventional teaching methods, but to complement them and encourage self-directed learning among students. In the present technological age, the use of computers in teaching and learning is almost mandatory. This article describes the development of educational aids available on the World Wide Web through the project DERWeb (Dental Education Resources on the World Wide Web) and its expansion as a site for dental information for the whole dental community. Courses and demonstrations to various groups by the team have led to interest and uptake by those who were previously unaware of this form of information dissemination or were "afraid" to use computers. The project is expanding continually and projections for future development are discussed.