Earlier this month, Human Resources for Health published an article, “Sharing Best Practices through Online Communities of Practice: A Case Study,” which argues that online forums are useful venues for medical, nursing, and midwifery students, especially in developing countries, to learn and share key skills and reproductive health knowledge that can prevent maternal death and disability. The article was coauthored by Barbara Stilwell, IntraHealth International’s director of technical leadership .

The case study specifically focuses on the effectiveness of the Global Alliance for Pre-Service Education’s (GAPS) online forums, which were launched under the USAID-funded Capacity Project. The case study suggests that online communities of practice such as GAPS are effective places for knowledge sharing, even where Internet connectivity is poor.  In response to concerns about sustainability, the authors point out that these types of forums currently need support from agencies such as the World Health Organization or universities but may be able to depend on their user groups in the future.