RESUMEN
Although emphasis in veterinary education is increasingly being placed on the ability to find, use, and communicate information, studies on the information behaviors of veterinary students or professionals are few. Improved knowledge in this area will provide valuable information for course and curriculum planning and the design of information resources. This article describes a survey of the information-seeking behaviors of first-semester veterinary students at Purdue University. A survey was administered as the first phase of a progressive semester-long assignment for a first semester DVM course in systemic mammalian physiology. The survey probed for understanding of the scientific literature and its use for course assignments and continuing learning. The survey results showed that students beginning the program tended to use Google for coursework, although some also used the resources found through the Purdue libraries' Web sites. On entering veterinary school, they became aware of specific information resources in veterinary medicine. They used a small number of accepted criteria to evaluate the Web site quality. This study confirms the findings of studies of information-seeking behaviors of undergraduate students. Further studies are needed to examine whether those behaviors change as students learn about specialized veterinary resources that are designed to address clinical needs as they progress through their training.
Asunto(s)
Alfabetización Digital , Educación en Veterinaria/estadística & datos numéricos , Conducta en la Búsqueda de Información , Internet/estadística & datos numéricos , Estudiantes del Área de la Salud/psicología , Estudiantes del Área de la Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Adulto , Educación en Veterinaria/métodos , Femenino , Encuestas Epidemiológicas , Humanos , Indiana , Bibliotecas Médicas , Servicios de Biblioteca/estadística & datos numéricos , Masculino , Motor de Búsqueda/estadística & datos numéricos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
In recent years, the Internet has become an effective and accessible delivery mechanism for distance education. In 2003, 81% of all institutions of higher education offered at least one fully online or hybrid course. By 2005, the proportion of institutions that listed online education as important to their long-term goals had increased by 8%. This growth in available online courses and their increased convenience and flexibility have stimulated dramatic increases in enrollment in online programs, including the Veterinary Technology Distance Learning Program (VT-DLP) at Purdue University. Regardless of the obvious benefits, distance learning (DL) can be frustrating for the learners if course developers are unable to merge their knowledge about the learners, the process of instructional design, and the appropriate uses of technology and interactivity options into effective course designs. This article describes strategies that we have used to increase students' learning of physiology content in an online environment. While some of these are similar, if not identical, to strategies that might be used in a face-to-face (f2f) environment (e.g., case studies, videos, concept maps), additional strategies (e.g., animations, virtual microscopy) are needed to replace or supplement what might normally occur in a f2f course. We describe how we have addressed students' need for instructional interaction, specifically in the context of two foundational physiology courses that occur early in the VT-DLP. Although the teaching and learning strategies we have used have led to increasingly high levels of interaction, there is an ongoing need to evaluate these strategies to determine their impact on students' learning of physiology content, their development of problem-solving skills, and their retention of information.
Asunto(s)
Instrucción por Computador/métodos , Curriculum , Educación a Distancia/métodos , Educación en Veterinaria/métodos , Estudiantes/psicología , Humanos , Internet , Aprendizaje , Fisiología/educación , Desarrollo de ProgramaRESUMEN
Concept maps have become a ubiquitous tool in education in the last 20 years and are used extensively to teach scientific concepts. A concept map is a tool learners can use to organize information about a topic in terms of key concepts and the relationships among them. As a graphical representation, the map provides an overall picture of a particular concept or topic. This article describes how we have used concept maps to teach physiology to veterinary medical and veterinary technician students enrolled in our on-campus and distance-learning programs.
Asunto(s)
Animales Domésticos/fisiología , Recursos Audiovisuales , Formación de Concepto , Educación en Veterinaria , Estudiantes/psicología , Enseñanza/métodos , Animales , Educación a Distancia , Humanos , Proyectos Piloto , PensamientoRESUMEN
Iraq is an agricultural country with a large population of animals: sheep, goats, cattle, water buffaloes, horses, donkeys, mules, and camels. In the 1980s, the successful poultry industry managed to produce enough table eggs and meat to satisfy the needs of the entire population; at one time, the thriving fish industry produced different types of fish for Iraqis' yearly fish consumption. There are four veterinary colleges in Iraq, which have been destroyed along with the veterinary services infrastructure. Understandably, improvements to the quality of veterinary education and services in Iraq will be reflected in a healthy and productive animal industry, better food quality and quantity, fewer zoonotic diseases, and more income-generating activities in rural areas. Thus, if undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs are improved, the veterinary medical profession will attract more competent students. This will satisfy the country's increased demand for competent veterinarians in both public and private sectors. Although Iraq has an estimated 5,000-7,000 veterinarians, there is a need for quality veterinary services and for more veterinarians. In addition, there is a need for the improvement of veterinary diagnostic facilities, as zoonotic diseases are always highly probable in this region. This article provides insight into the status of veterinary medical education and veterinary services in Iraq before and after the 1991 Gulf War and gives suggestions for improvement and implementation of new programs. Suggestions are also offered for improving veterinary diagnostic facilities and the quality of veterinary services. Improving diagnostic facilities and the quality of veterinary services will enhance animal health and production in Iraq and will also decrease the likelihood of disease transmission to and from Iraq. Threats of disease transmission and introduction into the country have been observed and reported by several international organizations.
Asunto(s)
Educación en Veterinaria , Medicina Veterinaria/normas , Crianza de Animales Domésticos , Animales , Animales Domésticos , Humanos , IrakRESUMEN
The ubiquity of the Internet has made disseminating information across geographical boundaries a relatively easy task. Apart from text-based materials, the Internet provides an easy means to transmit images, sound, video, and other multimedia content to a global audience, making it an ideal medium for establishing distance learning programs. Two Internet-based distance learning courses were developed to teach animal physiology to veterinary technicians in the School of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University. These distance learning course sites are designed to take advantage of multimedia technology to enhance students' learning experiences. Multimedia has been used in education to make the learning process more engaging and interactive. The two course sites have a number of multimedia features that complement the textual subject matter. This article describes the features of the course Web sites and summarizes our experiences in designing and conducting Web-based physiology courses to distance learners. In addition, we describe the characteristics of our distance learning students.