A comparison of the acceptability and effectiveness of two methods of distance education: CD-ROM and audio teleconferencing

Evaluating a speech-language pathology technology

BACKGROUND

The creation of new educational strategies based on technology is the essence of telehealth. This innovative learning is an alternative to promote integration and improve the professional practices in speech-language pathology (SLP). The objective of this study was to evaluate an SLP technology designed for distance learning.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The survey selected fourth-year SLP students (n=60) from three public universities in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The experimental group (EG) contained 10 students from each university (n=30), and the remaining students formed the control group (CG). Initially, both groups answered a preprotocol questionnaire, and the EG students received the technology, the recommendations, and the deadline to explore the material. In the second stage all students answered the postprotocol questionnaire in order to evaluate the validity and the learning of the technology contents.

RESULTS

The comparison between the CG students showed that their performance worsened in the majority in comparison with the EG students, who showed an improved performance.

CONCLUSIONS

Therefore, this study concluded that the technology instrument actually responded to the population studied and is recommended to complement traditional teaching.

Professional development webinars for pharmacists

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate pharmacists' satisfaction with and reasons for enrolling in a series of continuing education webinars.

DESIGN

Webinars intended to provide timely and practical information for practicing pharmacists on a specific therapeutic area were created and presented monthly throughout 2011.

ASSESSMENT

Survey responses of volunteers who completed at least 1 webinar were positive regarding the quality of the programming and the method of delivery. No significant differences were found in demographics or reasons for enrolling between participants who completed a single webinar and those who completed 2 or more.

CONCLUSIONS

While the webinars received positive evaluations for quality, value, and relevance, the limited average number of webinars attended by each pharmacist was a concern, and several tactics will be implemented to address scheduling conflicts and other deterrents to repeat participation.

Impact of pharmacists' participation in a pharmacotherapy follow-up program

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of a continuing pharmacy education (CPE) course on Spanish community pharmacists' participation in a pharmacotherapy follow-up program.

DESIGN

Participation in a CPE course offered 4 times over a 4-year period via satellite teleconferencing was monitored and the data analyzed to determine the course's impact on community pharmacists' participation in a pharmacotherapy follow-up program.

ASSESSMENT

Community pharmacists' participation in the pharmaceutical care CPE course had a slightly positive impact on their participation in the pharmacotherapy follow-up program. In the best profiles, there was a probability of 7.3% that participants would participate in the pharmacotherapy follow-up program.

CONCLUSIONS

Completion of pharmaceutical care CPE courses did not have a significant impact on pharmacists' participation in a pharmacotherapy follow-up program.

Comparison of two lecture delivery platforms in a hybrid distance education program

OBJECTIVE

To compare students' preferences for and academic performance using 2 different distance education course content delivery platforms.

METHODS

A randomized, crossover research design was used to compare traditional video with a 4-panel platform among learners on multiple campuses within 1 college of pharmacy.(1) The outcomes were students' preferences for delivery platform and examination scores. Rasch analysis was used to assess unidimensionality and the difficulty of examination items. Hierarchical logistic and multiple regression models were used to assess students' preferences and academic performance.

RESULTS

The logistic model predicting preference for the 4-panel or traditional platform was not significant, but African-Americans and Hispanics were more likely to prefer the 4-panel platform than Caucasian and Asian students. The delivery platform did not impact students' academic performance. Students who did well on the semester's previous 2 examinations scored higher on the questions related to schizophrenia. Students with higher Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) scores performed better on the bipolar questions than students who preferred the traditional video platform.

CONCLUSION

The additional faculty time, effort, and cost invested in presenting the class material in a 4-panel platform, and the students' extra time and effort spent viewing the 4-panel platform did not produce a comparable benefit in student preference and performance.

Asynchronous video streaming vs. synchronous videoconferencing for teaching a pharmacogenetic pharmacotherapy course

OBJECTIVES

To compare students' performance and course evaluations for a pharmacogenetic pharmacotherapy course taught by synchronous videoconferencing method via the Internet and for the same course taught via asynchronous video streaming via the Internet.

METHODS

In spring 2005, a pharmacogenetic therapy course was taught to 73 students located on Amarillo, Lubbock, and Dallas campuses using synchronous videoconferencing, and in spring 2006, to 78 students located on the same 3 campuses using asynchronous video streaming. A course evaluation was administered to each group at the end of the courses.

RESULTS

Students in the asynchronous setting had final course grades of 89% +/- 7% compared to the mean final course grade of 87% +/- 7% in the synchronous group (p = 0.05). Regardless of which technology was used, average course grades did not differ significantly among the 3 campus sites. Significantly more of the students in the asynchronous setting agreed (57%) with the statement that they could read the lecture notes and absorb the content on their own without attending the class than students in the synchronous class (23%; chi-square test; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Students in both asynchronous and synchronous settings performed well. However, students taught using asynchronous videotaped lectures had lower satisfaction with the method of content delivery, and preferred live interactive sessions or a mix of interactive sessions and asynchronous videos over delivery of content using the synchronous or asynchronous method alone.