Development and Evaluation of e-Learning Tools Used as a Supplement to Standard Curricula in Pharmacology Education
View/ Open
Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Dukie, Shailendra
Grant, Gary
Other Supervisors
Nirthanan, Niru
Davey, Andrew
Year published
2014
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Background: Pharmacology education entails rich and complex content involving a plethora of drugs and their mechanisms of action, numerous detailed facts about drug classes and individual compounds, and the therapeutic indications for these drugs. Over the years, the discipline has undergone rapid expansion and advancement which has increased pressure on pharmacology educators to continuously update their curricula. At the same time, education has been undergoing a paradigm shift, moving away from teaching-as-instruction towards student-centred learning approaches. This is set against a backdrop of increasing student numbers ...
View more >Background: Pharmacology education entails rich and complex content involving a plethora of drugs and their mechanisms of action, numerous detailed facts about drug classes and individual compounds, and the therapeutic indications for these drugs. Over the years, the discipline has undergone rapid expansion and advancement which has increased pressure on pharmacology educators to continuously update their curricula. At the same time, education has been undergoing a paradigm shift, moving away from teaching-as-instruction towards student-centred learning approaches. This is set against a backdrop of increasing student numbers and static resources, universal challenges facing higher education in Australia. Moreover, generation Y students who have novel learning styles and have technology engrained as an integral part of their lives, perceive pharmacology as a more “difficult” learning area than other subjects in the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum. In this context, delivering the pharmacology curricula is a challenge and learning and teaching strategies have to keep pace with the student expectations, curricular requirements and practical realities that ultimately determine learning and teaching approaches. The implementation of technology, in the form of online learning tools (e-learning tools) has been proposed to provide students with self- directed and flexible learning opportunities and to keep the students engaged and up-to- date with the content.
View less >
View more >Background: Pharmacology education entails rich and complex content involving a plethora of drugs and their mechanisms of action, numerous detailed facts about drug classes and individual compounds, and the therapeutic indications for these drugs. Over the years, the discipline has undergone rapid expansion and advancement which has increased pressure on pharmacology educators to continuously update their curricula. At the same time, education has been undergoing a paradigm shift, moving away from teaching-as-instruction towards student-centred learning approaches. This is set against a backdrop of increasing student numbers and static resources, universal challenges facing higher education in Australia. Moreover, generation Y students who have novel learning styles and have technology engrained as an integral part of their lives, perceive pharmacology as a more “difficult” learning area than other subjects in the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum. In this context, delivering the pharmacology curricula is a challenge and learning and teaching strategies have to keep pace with the student expectations, curricular requirements and practical realities that ultimately determine learning and teaching approaches. The implementation of technology, in the form of online learning tools (e-learning tools) has been proposed to provide students with self- directed and flexible learning opportunities and to keep the students engaged and up-to- date with the content.
View less >
Thesis Type
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Degree Program
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School
School of Pharmacy
Copyright Statement
The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise.
Item Access Status
Public
Note
In order to comply with copyright Chapters 4has not been published here.
Subject
eLearning in pharmacology
Pharmacology, education
Pharmacology, Curriculum
e Learning