There are a few issues to address. The students pursuing degrees in MRI come from different backgrounds, cultures, and join the program at different points in their career. They range in age from recent high school graduates to those changing careers later down the road. The more mature students, though committed to the program, may have trouble reacclimatizing to the educational process while maintaining their family and current job. In contrast, the younger students are more familiar with the educational process, as they are fresh out of high school, but may struggle with the independence and responsibility required of them at the collegiate level. Digital technology and proficiency is also a concern for some students. Maintaining a hardcopy of all the information necessary for students to learn can quickly become unreasonable, though some students resist a transition into digital media or are unsure of where or how to adapt their studies.
The students can become easily overwhelmed by all of the information they are required to learn over the course of the semester. During their education to become MRI technologists, too often the students can become confused about which process is utilized for which procedure, mixing up the steps or key facts for each. During their classes, and later on in clinical rotations, mentors and teachers are able to correct these errors before they become problematic. When it comes time for them to sit for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification exam, however, the students cannot ask a trainer or mentor for help or clarification, and if still present, these confusions may lead to failing the exam. By requiring the students to build a collection of protocols and procedures in their own words, rather than allowing them to copy content developed by other technologists, the information becomes better cemented in their mind. This manual also acts as a resource when studying for the exam, and benefits them greatly as they transition from student to technologist. By further making the students create this manual online, they will be able to access and locate the desired information more easily than a bulky binder allows.
The learning environment for this training focuses on two major technologies: computer access and understanding of a blogging website. With regards to computer access, two areas must be addressed: the computers needed to initially train students to use the blogging website appropriately within the scope of the course assignments, and computer access throughout the semester as they complete the assignments. MCPHS has computer labs available to teachers and their classes, but the size and availability throughout the semester fluctuates. Since the content of the training is expected to be used throughout the semester, students must have ready access to computers with the internet as well. Additionally, the blogging website must be determined, as each has idiosyncrasies that affect the reasonable use in a college course.
MCPHS computer lab for initial training:
· When is it available?
· Are there enough computers for each student, or will they need to group up?
Student computer access for semester work:
· Do they have a computer at home with internet access?
· If not, do they have ready access to a computer with internet access at school?
Blogging website:
· What blogging websites are available?
o Does it allow multiple users?
o How can information be organized on the website (chronological, alphabetical, by user)?
o Does it track changes / recent edits to see when (and who) made updates?
o Is there a premade tutorial for students to refer to throughout the semester as a refresher?
o Is there a “Water Cooler” feature for students to interact and ask questions, or is there a way to create one?
o Is there a backup version in case of accidental deletions?
Students are expected to already have basic computer and literacy skills upon entering the course. That is to say, students must exhibit content mastery of how to type, access the internet, and be able to read and comprehend instructions, as well as demonstrate college-level writing skills. Students will become trained in the tasks required of them for the course assignment with the basic use of the blogging website: creating a username and password, accessing and logging into the website, creating posts and comments in pre-determined locations, and inserting images if desired.
As all students will be collectively creating the digital manual together, it is important that the format of the manual is constant between different students. The teacher can create a format for the students to follow to limit significant formatting differences. It is also critical to ensure that each person is participating and receiving credit for their work. Thus, there needs to be a built-in functionality of the website to indicate which student completed which assignment, without allowing other students to edit that assignment or ensuring those edits are tracked. Additionally, it is important that a backup version be created in case students accidentally delete content, posts, or pages. This can be in the form of an emailed version of the post to the educator. If there are students who do not have a computer with internet access at home, they may need to type up their posts on a Word document, transfer it to a flash drive, and make the posting while at school or at another location with internet access.
References
Hodell, C. (2011). ISD from the Ground Up. (3rd ed.). Chelsea, MI: Sheridan Books, Inc.
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