Computer Classes Spur Student Absenteeism

Is too much online higher education a bad thing? "Despite concerns about absenteeism, schools increasingly are experimenting with ways to let students watch or listen to lectures on their computers or digital music players, such as Apple's iPod. Last month, Harvard Medical School began ``podcasting'' lectures that its students can download onto digital music players, enabling them to study while they walk."
Students are responsible for their own learning. Professors are to spark "curiosity" in the traditional classroom. If this happens, students will come to class despite the technology that is available to assist with their learning. Perhaps the professors need to look at their own style of teaching.

'Stanford On ITunes' Is For Everybody

Stanford University is opening its doors to the world. Life-long learning opportunities are readily accessible because Stanford University is now working with Apple Computer to provide the public with open access to lectures, discussion series, and debates via iTunes. "“Stanford on iTunes” are available to anyone willing to spend the few minutes it takes to download them from the Internet."

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality have developed an "Healthcare 411" podcast seires. In order to access quality healthcare related podcasts visit the url in the title of this blog.
I am very interested in sharing with my students the "nurse fatigue" and "personal and electronic health records" podcast. There are also a plethora of other audio offerings at the site.

Health Alert: iPod for the heart

Imagine you have been diagnosed with a cardiac dysrhythmia, such as atrial fibrillation, and you want to listen or view an expert explain the disorder while taking the train or bus to work. Now you can. Podcasting technology is being used by healthcare professionals to assist patients' learning. Grayson Wheatley, a thoracic surgeon at the Arizona Heart Institute, constructed a website that offers videos about heart disease that the public may access and download to MP3 palyers. The podcasts may illicit questions that patients have not thought of, and therefore the patient may ask the physician the next time they have an appointment. Wheatley reports patients who listen to the heart podcasts are better informed and ask more pertinent questions when compared to the patients who do not access the educational podcasts.

PM Backs Off E-Health

Unfortunately, the Australian e-health reform agenda is faltering. "Frustration is rising over changes to plans for the centrepiece HealthConnect network, and a perception the federal Government is trying to duckshove responsibility for health technology to the states."

"Australian College of Health Informatics spokeswoman Evelyn Hovenga said the federal Government had "totally changed its tack" over the past 12 months."

"Professor Hovenga said local informatics experts were increasingly frustrated that work they had done on e-health projects, including HealthConnect, "had not been published or necessarily made available to the public"; nor were consultants permitted to reveal details."

"Everyone's very frustrated because a lot of good work has been done, and it's just not being taken up," she said.

"We have in Australia people who are leading work that is being hailed internationally. Yet we're having terrible trouble even getting fundamental support."

Like with so many things in life, it does not appear electronic health information accessibility or international recognition will happen overnight.

tech.life@school | Edublogs: Where to find vision and new direction

The "Ed-Tech Talk Show" won the best audio and/or video blog at the second annual edublog-awards (2005). http://edtechtalk.com/
There are various upcoming educational webcasts offered at the site. Enjoy the innovative Ed-Tech show! And, check out the other awards at the url listed above. Congratulations to all of the bloggers!

Quicktime 2 RSS to Aid Professors

I found this article to be of particular interest because I have been recording lectures with my iPod photo, Griffin Lapel Microphone and iTalk during this past year. Students' reports indicate they like the e-pod lectures because it enables them to listen to the lectures after class while they are waiting for the bus, crossing campus and before an exam. Now Apple Computer is developing the Quicktime 2 RSS to assists professors with providing enhanced podcasts for their students.

If any of you are recording your higher education lectures via this technology, please let me know because a colleague and I are working on a grant funded project that will enable individuals to access academic podcasts via an online repository.

Software Leads to Better Care

Wechsler reports a system that was developed by a New York state group is now being used by more than 400 skilled nursing facilities around the country. The grant funded project, that started in 1996, was to develop a computer program that would assist in the prevention of decubitus ulcers and elderly falls. "The secret to the program is modeling software not unlike programs used to predict the weather or stock prices.The variables in this case are health criteria taken quarterly from patients, as required by the federal government.Nursing home staff keep track of a patient's coherence, eating habits, medications, socialization and mobility, among other indicators.All those variables are added to the program, and used to determine the likelihood of a patient falling or suffering from pressure ulcers, otherwise known as bedsores.The program is now being improved to look at other issues, such as pain or urinary tract infections."