Building on the Evaluation of STARS: Using Online Repositories to Support the General Practice Learning Community

Abstract

This article reports on the development and evaluation of an online repository for sharing general practice (GP) educational resources. GP supervisors and medical educators need quality resources to facilitate learning and teaching. Developing or finding resources from scratch is time-consuming and duplicates effort when teachers and learners are geographically dispersed. In response to this challenge, a curated repository, Self-directed Training and Resource System (STARS) was developed in 2009 for sharing educational and clinical resources within the Australian GP learning community. However, a low engagement by users was observed. This research began by an examination of enablers and barriers for resource sharing and the existing online repository: STARS. Data collection methods included questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Findings contributed to the development of a new pilot repository that was embedded in a collaborative online learning space, also known as a ‘digital habitat’. This space focused on engagement with resources and other users. It incorporated Web 2.0 tools and followed recent trends in user-created content and ranking of usefulness. Overall findings revealed that ease of use and effective management are paramount in ensuring ongoing viability and value of an online repository.