Application of Health Informatics in Education

tutorials

• Function: Guide users through objectives and tasks at their

own pace, mimicking lecture-style instruction.

• Features: Autonomous multimedia (animation, text,

graphics, sound, interactivity), promoting active learning

via questions, clickable hypertext, quizzes.

case scenarios

• Function: Performance-based assessments for students to

practice procedural responses and enhance patient safety.

• Method: Problem-based learning available through

simulation software and virtual reality.

portfolios

• Function: Evaluative tools for documenting student

accomplishment, learning, and exposure to educational

experiences.

• Content: Document unquantifiable skills (creativity,

communication, critical thinking), achievement of goals,

self-evaluation, professional development, and past

work/life experiences.

simulation

• Fidelity (Realism): Ranges from computer-based

(interactive tutorials) to full-scale (recreating healthcare

situations with real physiology and people) simulation.

• Assessment: Aid instructors in assessing competency

achievement.

virtual reality

• Function: Immersive training environment providing

multiple sensory inputs (visual, audio, touch) mediated or

generated by a computer.

• Clinical Application: Simulated, immersive environments

offer invaluable learning opportunities for students

assuming healthcare provider roles.

digital books (eBooks)

• Trend: Clear shift from print to digital textbooks.

• Features: Some reproduce print, others leverage

interactive capabilities (simulations, polling, discussions,

analytics).

webcasts

• Function: Broadcast of typically live presentations

delivered via the Web.

• Usage: Live (with audience participation) or pre-recorded

archives of lectures/expert presentations.

webinars

• Function: Web-based seminars using web conferencing

software for screen/file sharing and interaction.

• Interactivity: Generally live, interactive educational

sessions allowing questions from the audience.

• Comparison to Webcasts: Webinars are more interactive

than webcasts.

wikis

• Function: Websites allowing users to edit and add content

in an open-ended forum.

• Appeal: Open participation in knowledge creation and

seeking, supporting online learning communities and

collaboration.

• Concerns: Lack of organizing principle and potential for

inaccurate information (e.g., Wikipedia).

instant messaging

• Function: Real-time text-based conversation, often with

voice/video options, file/link sharing.

• Benefits: Free, popular, web-based, low learning curve;

enables instant collaboration, real-time help from

professors/librarians.

chats

Real-time discussion venues (virtual chat rooms) for

engaging over topics.

blogs (web logs)

Online journals enhancing communication,

writing, reading, information-gathering, and collaboration.

learning management systems

Purpose: Software designed for corporate/government

training, K-12, and higher education to assess skills and

track student achievement in outcomes-based programs.

learning management systems

• Academic Term: Often called Course Management Systems

(CMS) in academic settings (e.g., Blackboard, Canvas).

• Core Functions: Distributes course content, facilitates

communication, manages course resources, handles

testing, grading, and record-keeping.

content management systems

A database for learning objects (videos, modules,

assessments, etc.) used in online learning.

content management systems

• Developer Benefits: Allows course developers to create,

track versions of (without losing previous edits), and share

learning objects.

• Integration: Designed to integrate with course

management systems, allowing material development

outside the course itself, simplifying course building.

massive open online courses

A model for delivering free learning content online.

massive open online courses

• Scale: Designed for thousands of participants, allowing

providers to scale up learning.

• Providers: Typically offered by higher education

institutions (e.g., Johns Hopkins, Harvard, MIT), often in

partnership with "organizers" like Coursera, edX, and Udacity.