Decision-making factors to enrol in e-learning course on Managment offered to medical students in Croatia

Background: The aim was to evaluate the decision-making factors of the medical students' enrollment in e-courses, after experiencing an e-course "The alphabet of managment for health care professional (ABC)", designed for and taken by second year students of all four Croatian medical schools. Summary of work: 51 students enrolled into ABC (E-learning group) and 36 students not having e-course (Traditional) were surveyed on: 1) the student's learning habits (e.g. sole vs. paired studying, computer usage, future intention to enrol at e-course ; 2) the student's perception of ABC: finding materials, heaviness of lectures, printing vs. screen reading, course demands perception ; 3) usefulness of web applications in learning by Likert scale. Summary of results: 1) E-learning group used computers in studying significantly more than Traditional group ; 2) Female students, solo learners frequent users of computers perceive e-course lectures significantly as more demanding compared to their controls ; 3) The feasibility to search course materials, but not availability of web services was rated significantly higher in deciding to enroll in the e-course. Conclusions: The most important factor of future enrolment at e-course is students' perception of the course demand on the student. Take-home message: For positive attitude toward future enrolment in e-learning courses, the course structure, teamwork and the teacher/tutor support during the course is of the most significance.