An Internet-based learning portfolio in resident education: the KOALA (TM)multicentre programme

Context and objectives To describe the Computerized Obstetrics and Gynecolo gy Automated Learning Anaalysis (KOALA(TM)), a multicentre, Internet-based learning portfolio and to determine its effects on residents' perception of their self-directed learning abilities. Methods The KOALA programme allows residents to record their obstetrical, s urgical, ultrasound, and ambulatory patient encounters and to document crit ical incidents of learning or elements of surprise that arose during these encounters. By prompting the student to reflect on these learning experienc es, KOALA encourages residents to articulate questions which can be directl y pursued through hypertext links to evidence-based literature. Four Canadi an residency training programmes participated in the pilot project, from Fe bruary to May 1997, using a dynamic relational database with a central serv er. All participants completed the Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale a nd a learning habits questionnaire. The impact of the KOALA programme on re sidents' perception of their self-directed learning abilities was measured by comparing KOALA-naive schools (schools 2, 3, and 4) with school 1 (expos ed to the KOALA prototype for 1 year). Ordered variables were compared usin g the Mann-Whitney U test and continuous variables with the Student t test (statistical significance P < 0.05). Results During the study period, 7049 patient and 1460 critical incidents o f learning were recorded by 41 residents in the four participating universi ties. Residents at the exposed school (school 1) had a significantly higher perception of their self-directed learning (P < 0.05) and believed their f uture learning was less likely to be from continuing medical education (P < 0.028), textbooks (P < 0.04), and didactic lectures (P < 0.011) and would be derived from a learning portfolio with online resources. Conclusion This Internet-based, multi-user, multicentre learning portfolio has a significant effect on residents' perception of their self-directed le arning abilities.