The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the usage patterns with the system of online optional asynchronous exercises to support the learning of Forensic Medicine and Medical Ethics at the University of Brasilia. The subjects were 38 students taking this course during the second term of 2005. The system offered text content and images that could be accessed anonymously. To solve the "true-or-false" exercises, some with images, students had to self-identify by means of a password, which allowed tracking. The results showed that 32 students (84%) performed exercises online, with an average of 183 responses per student among those who joined. Slightly more than half (52%) of the exercises were solved in the last 24 hours before the course test; 62.3% of the exercises were solved between 7 PM and 1 AM. In conclusion, students used a voluntary system to concentrate their efforts just before course tests, which reduces the system's efficiency, suggesting that techniques to motivate regular use of systems like this one should be implemented.
Internet; Education, distance; Forensic medicine
