I hate to sound like a Google marketer, but I think they offer just what
you need.

You could set up a Google Sites web page(s). The settings control allows
the site to be publicly viewable or privately, as you decide. You can
invite people only as viewers or as collaborators (i.e. they can modify
the web pages).  You can upload documents into a Google sites page, and
the whole thing is very easy to create. For discussions, you could create
a blog and link the blog address with the website. Again, the blog
permissions can be set so that only invited people can view/contribute.

You would, of course, need your physicians to create accounts with Google.

If they also create a gmail account, then they can toggle the Sites
setting so that any updates to the web page get communicated to them in an
email.

I have collated some of Google's 'getting started' videos here:
http://tla.wikidot.com/setting-up-wikis

and here: http://tla.wikidot.com/setting-up-blogs

From my own experience, the one caveat I have is this: You may need to be
on hand to help sort out any teething troubles/misunderstandings. Some of
my own students reported difficulties getting started, but in most
instances these were misunderstandings or mistakes that were easily
rectified. But that usually involved me watching exactly what they were
doing as they tried to log in or create an account...it would have been
harder if they were distance learning students, as I wouldn't have been
able to check exactly what they were doing.


Regards,
David


> Dear All
>
> I wonder if anyone has suggestions for an appropriate online discussion
> tool. I'm involved in a project with the West African College of
> Physicians to deliver a programme to develop their doctors' teaching
> approaches and supervisory skills.  The delegates will be taught in two
> cohorts over the course of a year and we would like to support their
> ongoing learning by setting up an online community for them. They all have
> access to the internet but not all to broadband.  The principle use of the
> VLE will be small group discussion about a practical assignment and their
> experience as clinical educators in general. Ideally the requirements for
> the VLE are that:
>
>
>  *   We are able to sub-divide the learners into groups of 5-6 for the
> purpose of discussion
>  *   Tutors and delegates can upload useful documents
>  *   It is private and secure
>
> We have considered Ning which we already use for other programmes but this
> is reliant on a fairly high bandwidth.  We have also considered a,
> possibly familiar, social networking tool like Facebook which they can
> manage themselves but are concerned about privacy and security,
> particularly as these levels are set by users individually and could be
> difficult to 'control' for the safety of all.
>
> Does anyone have experience of using a web-based (rather than server-based
> system like Blackboard) discussion forum for a similar purpose and could
> offer advice?
>
> Best wishes and thanks in advance.
>
> Kate
>
>
> Kate Ippolito
>
> Educationalist
>
> Royal College of Physicians
> Education Department
> 11 St Andrews Place
> Regent's Park
> London
> NW1 4LE
> '020 3075 1218
> *[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> ?020 7487 4156
> ? www.rcplondon.ac.uk<file:///\\www.rcplondon.ac.uk>
>
>


-- 
Dr David Hardman
Principal Lecturer in Learning Development

Associate Editor, Journal of Economic Psychology

Twitter: http://twitter.com/davidkhardman
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