David Dewhurst Assistant Principal (e-learning & e-health) Director of Learning Technology College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh Computer-based alternatives – past, present and future
Dec 17, 2015
David DewhurstAssistant Principal (e-learning & e-health)Director of Learning TechnologyCollege of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh
Computer-based alternatives – past, present and future
Main points to be covered
• Multimedia computer simulations as alternatives to lab classes in pharmacology and physiology
• Can they meet the learning objectives of lab classes?
• How can we persuade teachers to use them
• The future of CAL development - a Reusable Learning Object approach?
Multimedia Computer simulations • Simulations of animal preparations typically:
– use algorithms to generate simulated tissue responses
– allow control over experimental parameters - good for design
– highly flexible– need significant direct/indirect tutor support
• Simulations of animal experiments typically:– use ‘real’ data to generate simulated tissue
responses - lifelike– based on tutor-designed (i.e. relevant)
experiments– provide on-screen support & interactive self-
assessments - good for self-directed learning
Multimedia computer simulations
•Lots of them •High Quality•Evidence is that they work
•Poorly integrated•Expensive to produce•Not editable•Technical obsolescence
www.sheffbp.co.uk
Evidence: computer simulations versus ‘animal labs’
• Numerous Studies:
– Clarke, ATLA 14: 134-140 (1987)– Dewhurst, et al ATLA 15: 280-289 (1988)– Dewhurst et al (1994) Amer. J. Physiol. 267 (Adv.
Physiol. Educ. 12) S95-S104– Hughes (2001) TIPS 22: 2, 71-74
• Findings– Knowledge gain equivalent– Students accept/enjoy as much/more– Costs are lower– Group work and staff-student interaction are promoted– Laboratory/practical skills cannot be taught
Learning goals
Teaching and practising:• laboratory skills• general animal handling skills; • preparation-specific animal skills• imparting good ethical thinking
• new knowledge and reinforcing existing• data handling skills• experimental design skills
communication skills (oral, written)And:• promoting group work • Computing/IT skills But Not:• Teaching laboratory/practical skills
They are good…. they work….
but poorly integrated into teaching - why? • Not web-deliverable - only LAN• Content locked• Lack of awareness• Lack of time and/or skills to integrate - resources• No institutional recognition for effort • Resistance – ‘not-invented here’• Need regular content and technological updating
How do we persuade teachers to use them?
Trends in Pharmacological Sciences (TIPS, 19, 257-265, 1998) - survey 300+ pharmacologists (1996)
Persuading teachers
• Several ways of doing this:– raise awareness– give examples of how they are being
used in other universities – demonstrate which learning outcomes
they can most usefully address– provide independent reviews– present evidence from evaluations of
their effectiveness
EURCA www.eurca.org
Embedding alternatives into teaching
• One approach is to develop ‘wrap-around’ support materials e.g. text-based study guides or workbooks e.g. BPS TLRP’s
• these may be similar to lab schedules and should include learning outcomes
• exercises, tasks and activities should be built-in
• self-assessment questions should be included to reinforce learning
Tasks/activities - individual or group centred
•Record and Measure - test accuracy of measurements–record responses of...to... measure .... quantify....
•Data Analysis–plot... extrapolate.....determine.... calculate…
•Data Interpretation Skills–describe.... list...explain.... discuss....
•Presentation Skills–construct a table... draw a graph..prepare an abstract...
–Experimental Design–design an experiment to....identify the unknown X...
•Knowledge of underlying principles–use MCQs, True/False etc
ReCAL - content authoring - future
• ReCAL - Edinburgh University project finded by The Lord Dowding Fund (UK)
• Teacher selects objects from repository• Uses simple authoring tools to create new CAL
Thank you for listening
David Dewhurst
e-mail [email protected] Technology www.lts.mvm.ed.ac.uk
ReCAL www.recal.mvm.ed.ac.uk/
e-learning Issues
• Why should we do it?
‘e-learning is a Trojan horse…The real headline ….
is that it’s about curriculum reform’
Roger Schanck, Carnegie Mellon University, TES March 2003
What alternatives are there?
• computer-based simulations - 2 types
• video and interactive video
• mannekins, models and simulators
• human experiments
• non-animal experiments (e.g. using plant tissues, post-mortem material, cultured cells)
The challenge
Despite widespread availability of CAL resources the evidence is that they are not being embedded in teaching & learning.
Barriers:
• Not web-deliverable - only LAN• Content locked• Lack of awareness• Lack of time and/or skills to integrate• No institutional recognition for effort • Resistance – ‘not-invented here’Trends in Pharmacological Sciences (TIPS, 19, 257-265, 1998) - survey 300+
pharmacologists (1996)
Really the only vehicle for effective teaching & learning of lab skills, animal handling skills and surgical/dissection skills
But they are:– heavy on staff and student time– expensive - require technical support, equipment,
consumables, animals, specialist accommodation – may contribute to a negative learning experience -
student perceptions of ‘failed’ experiments.
So: if the primary learning objectives do not include lab skills alternatives can be a cost-effective solution and have a significant impact on animal use.
Animal Labs
The challenge• In order to have an impact on animal use
teachers must be persuaded to integrate alternatives into mainstream practice
• To facilitate this they need to:– be made more aware of the existence of
alternatives– be persuaded of their educational usefulness– Helped to integrate them into their teaching
Raising awareness• A number of quality databases exist providing information
about a wide range of learning resources e.g. NORINA, InterNiche, AVAR
• Mostly the information is product-centred and lacks the level of detail teachers need to make decisions about use.
• Our experience suggests that teachers value: – the opportunity to evaluate their usefulness– reviews, evaluations, exemplar support materials– advice from experienced teachers
Disseminating information – eurca http://www.eurca.org
• Resource Centre
– collection of alternatives - CAL, video, models
– high ‘visibility’ at international science meetings
– ‘manned’ by experienced academic teachers
– pro-active in promoting alternatives to teachers
• Web-based database of selected HE alternatives
– Product information, commissioned reviews, support materials, data from evaluative studies, users comments/experiences
• Electronic Newsletter, discussion groups, network of enthusiasts