Online bachelor degree in pharmacy

THE EXPLOSION OF EDUCATIONAL technology and the race to develop Internet-based learning have forced educators to create new educational programs and change traditional ones to new learning models. In health care, much of the writing on distance education is in the medical and nursing literature. Less appears in the allied health literature, and the literature contains little research comparing formats; the articles that do appear simply provide a description of courses that have been offered. English et al.1 described a distance learning model in a physical therapy curriculum at the University of Kentucky. Ware et al.2 discussed the challenges of teaching at a distance using interactive video and made recommendations for how to overcome these challenges. Muma and Mayta3 discussed how to develop CD-ROM applications for students at remote sites, and Glacken and Baylen4 described crucial issues in designing an on-line health professions program at Florida Gulf Coast University.

The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) has begun the transition from an evening hours and weekend site-based undergraduate health professional curriculum to a web-based delivery format. The Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHS) undergraduate program provides access to postprofessional education for health professionals to enhance their nonclinical competencies. For many years, the existing BHS program has offered courses in five cities throughout South Carolina: Charleston, Greenville, Columbia, Myrtle Beach/Conway, and Rock Hill. The BHS program is relying increasingly on distance delivery using Internet, CD-ROM, satellite, compressed video, videotape, independent learning modules, fax, voice-mail, e-mail, and other electronic means.

For several years, the BHS program has offered one of its core courses, "Interpersonal and Team Communication in Health Care," using a weekend format. The course has three segments, each of which is presented on a separate weekend. The first two segments cover interpersonal skills and team communication. The third segment focuses on customer service in health care and originally was presented during an 8-hour Saturday session. We considered the customer service segment suitable for conversion to an interactive CD-ROM and weh-based course because the content was in a self-contained modular format. Because we wanted to maintain the highly interactive format of the face-to-face session, a new approach had to be taken in planning for interaction, developing activities, and providing support. Would the changes in delivery affect student achievement and would students perceive the course as effective?

This study had two purposes. The first purpose was to determine if there was a statistically significant difference in students' final grades. The second purpose was to determine students' perceptions about the CD-ROM, workbook, and Internet format. Students and faculty were involved in answering two research questions: ( 1 ) Is there a significant difference in student final examination scores using two different course formats, face-to-face format and interactive CD-ROM with workbook and Internet format? (2) What are the students' perceptions of learning through an interactive technology-based course format?

To incorporate as much interaction as possible and to encourage students to reflect on their learning, multiple tools and methods were used. The CD-ROM contained video vignettes for discussion; the instructor included a video introduction to the course; and web-based tools were used, such as e-mail, a bulletin board, and online evaluation. These factors (i.e., integration of web-based tools and a built-in presence of the faculty into a course delivered via technology) are recommended by Horton5 and Winfield et al.6 The question was whether these changes would affect student achievement.

Methods

DESIGN

The design is a retrospective, post hoc study. Consequently, all the concerns with retrospective studies apply. Design issues include threats to internal validity (e.g., history, maturation, and selection).7 One instructor taught all students in the study.

SETTING

The MUSC is a public institution of higher learning devoted to preserving and optimizing human life in South Carolina and beyond. It consists of six colleges: Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy. MUSC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor, master, doctoral, and professional degrees, in addition to numerous national, professional, and specialized accrediting bodies.

SUBJECTS

The 67 students whose data were used in this study were enrolled in the BHS degree program in the College of Health Professions for the fall semester of 1999 or 2000. All students were adult learners with full-time employment in a health profession. The average age of BHS students was 31 years, and all were completing their degree using distance-formatted course work. The students live throughout South Carolina.

COURSE FORMATS

Weekend Format

The weekend segment on customer service incorporated an "ice breaker" that launched an introduction to the session. The other instructional strategies of the day-long session included brief lectures with intermittent teacher-initiated questions for discussion; exercises used for individual and small group completion and discussion, specific role-play situations integrating and applying content from the lecturettes, individual student reflection exercises, and a culminating role-play exercise focusing on integration of multiple skills. These role-play exercises were concluded by a full class discussion and summary of the situation. After the Saturday sessions, students stayed in contact with the course instructor via e-mail, web posting, or telephone until the final evaluation was completed. A customer service workbook that was divided into units provided specific in-class exercises and the prescribed role-play situations. Overhead transparencies and flip charts were used as presentation visual aids during the face-to-face session.

CD-ROM, Internet, and Workbook

The converted course segment using the CD-ROM, workbook, and Internet had features that were designed to replicate many of the instructional strategies of the weekend course segment and provided an asynchronous learning experience. The CD-ROM content was the catalyst for the course exercises and activities and directed students to complete exercises on the CD-ROM, link to the website, or complete activities in the companion customer service workbook. There were short-answer, fill-in-the-blank, and reflection assignments that were completed on the CD-ROM, website, or workbook. Audio components were integrated into the CD-ROM to illustrate specific concepts verbally as well as visually and were used to simulate potential responses to specific customer service situations. Four video vignettes were integrated to illustrate specific customer service stories. Focused questions about each story were posed in the workbook and on the website where students posted their responses for discussion and reaction. The course instructor responded to student responses and gave feedback to the students individually and in aggregate. Students contacted the course instructor via e-mail, web posting, or telephone during the 5 weeks the course materials were to be completed.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Data collected from student records included age, acceptance grade point average (GPA), GPA before taking the course, GPA after taking the course, gender, and final examination scores from the two groups, weekend format, and CD format. A web-based 100-point examination comprising 25 multiple-choice, true/false, short-answer, and application scenarios were used as the summative evaluation of student learning. Both groups of students received the same examination in the web-based format and were given the same amount of time to complete it. This examination was available on-line for approximately 3 weeks after the Saturday session or within a specified time frame for the CD format course. Students additionally were given a 14-item student rating survey after CD format instruction to provide their perceptions of this learning experience. This rating form used a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the most favorable rating, for 13 items and a 3-point scale for the last item. Two open-ended items were included on the rating form along with a comment section. A focus group was held to clarify the instructor's understanding of students' responses on the survey. Questions for the focus group were written based on responses from the survey.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS