Development and integration of web-based pharmacology e-resources designed to provide immediate feedback and interactive help

Abstract

This paper describes outcomes of a project funded by the University of Adelaide to embed blended approaches to learning and teaching. The aim of the project was to develop online learning and assessment tasks for a second year compulsory course in the Bachelor of Health Sciences degree. Teaching and learning methods include formal lectures, tutorials and workshops to explore selected topics in depth. We have recently introduced the highly interactive computer-aided simulated organ bath experiments and students found them an extremely valuable resource for learning the principles of pharmacology. Despite successful implementation of the computer based ‘virtual labs’ in this course, the assessment of workshop materials and other assignments were done in written format. On average, each student submits assessable hard copy report of up to six pages for each workshop, with a marking allocation of approximately ten minutes per report. The length of time necessitated by the volume of marking results in a less than timely reporting and feedback on assessment for students. We have used Articulate software tools to integrate functionalities available within MyUni, Respondus, GraphPad Prism (graphing and statistical analysis) and Pharma-CAL-ology software packages (simulated practical experiments and lecture theory learning modules) to develop an innovative approach to online assessment. Interactive workshop content including data to be analysed and quizzes were incorporated into Articulate Presenter and students were able to easily navigate between different applications. This unique approach allows the full exploitation of the pedagogic advantages of the interactive online material (Carrington and Green, 2007). We were able to introduce both formative and summative online assessments which provide immediate feedback and promote active learning experience. The Articulate presentations and the online assessment materials we have developed are readily editable and can be modified by academic and support staff members. Analyses of the workshop results demonstrate that students improved their understanding of the workshop content and they were in general positive in their evaluation of the integrated online material used in this course. Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) survey scores for the item ‘I am motivated to learn in this course’ and ‘This course helps me develop my thinking skills (eg. problem solving, analysis)’ increased substantially compared to last year’s SELT survey. In addition, the following student comments for the item ‘What are the best aspects of this course, and why?’, ‘Articulate presentations, visual learning really does help, plus interactive’, ‘Online workshops, we can go back and use these for extra learning’ and ‘Workshops are good way of enhancing the concepts covered in the lecture’ indicate increased students satisfaction and engagement.