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PubMed2006

Learning objects: resources for instruction.

OBJECTIVE: Upon completion of this article, the reader will be able to describe learning objects (LOs) and discuss their use in clinical laboratory sciences instruction. DESIGN: Through a questionnaire, educators evaluated clinical laboratory sciences-related LOs for accessibility, usability and instructional qualities. SETTING: LOs were presented on a password-accessed website. Evaluations were completed on the website. PARTICIPANTS: Nine educators participated in the evaluation. INTERVENTIONS: The LOs were made available to participants for use in their own instructional material. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The evaluation measured educators' interest in and perceived usefulness of LOs in clinical laboratory sciences curriculum. RESULTS: On a scale of one to five with one equal to poor and five equal to excellent, participants rated LOs as accessible (4.68) and usable (4.61). Ninety-eight percent stated that they would use LOs in their curriculum. Fifty-seven percent stated that they could attribute improved learning performance on student exposure to LOs. CONCLUSION: LOs are useful, relevant, and time-saving resources to clinical laboratory sciences instruction.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗

PubMed2005

A qualitative assessment of systematic instructional design training by CLS faculty members.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the perceived value clinical laboratory science (CLS) faculty members gave to their participation in workshops on the use of a modified systematic instruction design (SID) model to develop curriculum and on-line courses. DESIGN: A survey assessing the perceived value of SID training was sent to 27 CLS faculty members. The survey asked the respondents to assess the value of the training that they received in developing their skills in Web-based, distance learning course development and teaching, and expanding their skills in traditional course development and teaching. The eight components of SID were listed and the respondents rated each component as to its value to them on a 5-point Likert scale of 5 = very valuable to 1 = not very valuable. In addition to rating the value of each SID component, the respondents were asked if they would like more training in any of the eight components. RESULTS: A majority of the 18 respondents (67%) reported that the training in SID was valuable to them. A strong majority of the respondents indicated that their training in goal and instructional analyses (96%), media selection (94%), and aligning objectives, assessments, and instructional strategies (94%) were valuable to their distance education programs and their traditional teaching skills. CONCLUSION: Faculty members who actively participated in SID training valued their new skills in developing distance education courses as well as improving their traditional teaching activities. Research is needed on the effect these new teaching skills have on student learning.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗