Communication, learning and assessment: Exploring the dimensions of the digital learning environment

AbstractAdvances in technology make it possible to supplement in-person teaching activities with digital learning, use electronic records in patient care, and communicate through social media. This relatively new “digital learning environment” has changed how medical trainees learn, participate in patient care, are assessed, and provide feedback. Communication has changed with the use of digital health records, the evolution of interdisciplinary and interprofessional communication, and the emergence of social media. Learning has evolved with the proliferation of online tools such as apps, blogs, podcasts, and wikis, and the formation of virtual communities. Assessment of learners has progressed due to the increasing amounts of data being collected and analyzed. Digital technologies have also enhanced learning in resource-poor environments by making resources and expertise more accessible. While digital technology offers benefits to learners, the teachers, and health care systems, there are concerns regard...