Module 5

Educational and Research Applications

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Educational Applications Three uses Provide Education Evaluate Instruction Determine Competency

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Provide Education

Computer aided Instruction Drills and Practice Sessions

Least complex, serves as supplement to curriculum taught by teacher. Main concepts and new material handled by teacher, computer serves as mode for practice.

Tutorial Relieves teacher of main responsibility for certain

portions of instruction (original material rather than supplemental). Relies on coaching sequences that direct the discovery of the correct answers.

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Provide Education Dialogue

Most complex – actively engaged in conversation with the computer. Least formally structured and does not present textual material as a basis for questioning.

Simulation and Gaming Used when a student has received the basic

information about a topic and then must use this information in interaction with the computer to gain deeper understanding.

Enables student to explore situations that might be too expensive, dangerous, or time consuming in real life.

Enables the student to understand the ramifications of wrong answers and thereby extend knowledge without endangering or hurting patients.

Does not necessarily predict how a student will behave in real-life situations, only how capable.

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Evaluate Education

All Computer aided instructionsGeared to the specific abilities, achievements, and progress of each student, allowing the student to proceed at own rate.Provides feedback and reinforcement to the student regarding performanceReports used by teachers to assess level of understanding

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Determine Competency

Feedback from computer used by faculty. Allows development of testing and competency reviews.Ex: NCLEX exam based on branching knowledge.

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Advantages

Not limited to nursing studentsCan be used for continuing education Assist in orienting new staff Updating on new equipment Can be adjusted for all levels of staff Determine decision making and

problem solving skills

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Effects on Teaching

Helps shift the emphasis in education from the teacher and teaching to the learner and learningLearner can be independent and self-directingTeacher is freed and allowed greater time for individual attention to students.Rectify problems associated with lack of faculty in particular areas of expertise Rectify problems associated with lack of clinical exposure to specific disease entities.

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Advantages

Patient Education Patients receive same info and can

absorb at own pace Info done in private with decreased

anxiety and embarrassment on part of patient

Always available – great convenience. No longer have to fit around a structured classroom schedule

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Disadvantage

Cost Hardware and software costs can be

expensive initially Maintenance cost to keep content up

to date expensive.

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Research Applications

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Research Uses

Querying the Database Asking questions from the available

databases Simple as selecting elements Complex as defining relationships

Report is then generated for review either on line or printed

Skill is in the question and the ability of the researcher to specify the exact elements

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Research Uses

Statistical Analysis Analyzing data trends

Simple – Excel spreadsheet Advanced – Statistical software Control Charts – Specific type of

statistical analysis relating to performance improvement

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Advantages

With the use of information systems in healthcare more data available for searches and researchUse of Internet to obtain responses for research study without cost of mailing surveys. Can reach more individuals.

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Disadvantages

Complexity of some programsQuerying a database not always simple and may require trainingIn hospital settings may need to use IT staff which will need time to understand research needs and the specifics of the data elements under study

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