Offering distance education in Health Informatics: The state of the Web sites

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lazinger, Susan^a | Handzel, Ruth^b

Affiliations: [a] The School of Library, Archive and Information Studies, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel. Tel.: +972 2 658 5656; Fax: +972 2 658 5707; E-mail: [email protected] | [b] The School of Library, Archive & Information Studies, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel. Tel.: +972 2 658 5045; Fax: +972 2 658 5707; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Within the framework of a bi-national project, a prototype database of programs and courses in Health Informatics was implemented. More than 100 sites of programs and courses in institutions in several countries were examined. While the database included courses delivered both on-site, as distance learning and as a combination of both methods of delivery, we expected that in particular the Web sites of courses for which the method of delivery was distance education exclusively would supply all the information needed by potential customers, all of whom were presumably dependent on the site for information about the course. This assumption was not borne out by the Web sites we retrieved. A content analysis of the sites was conducted, using 13 questions/criteria, and recommendations were drafted based on the data of the analysis.

DOI: 10.3233/ISU-2003-23103

Journal: Information Services & Use, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 19-34, 2003