Low-cost video-films in the teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate medical students

The high cost of producing good-quality video-films for teaching has hinder ed the use of this method, which has been shown to improve significantly th e efficiency of teaching and the retention of knowledge; During the last fi ve years, a series of short video-films has been produced using inexpensive video-cameras and home video-recording and editing equipment. A variety of techniques were developed to allow recording of lecture presentations, whi le using the equipment as a teaching aid, without the need for technical st aff. The positioning of the camera, the monitor, the slide projector and li ghting were critical to the productions. Similar productions at low cost we re obtained from recordings of operating theatre sessions, tutorials and cl inical ward rounds. A survey of students exposed to teaching with video-fil m as part of a lecture presentation confirmed that the subject matter being taught was more easily understood and enjoyable and generated more discuss ions on than other forms of teaching.