| The health care industry is rapidly changing, and is | | | | the campus bookstore and library is critical, and |
| one of the fastest growing employment sectors | | | | journal articles must be available online. |
| in the nation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | | | | Some advantages of distance learning are:o |
| estimates that demand for professionals in this | | | | Student-Centered versus Instructor-Directed |
| field will grow by more than 36% over the next | | | | Learning. Students take an active role in their own |
| few years. Because of the rapid growth of this | | | | learning experience.o Flexibility. Students may |
| field, those interested in earning degrees in Allied | | | | work at their own computers on a weekend or |
| Health have also changed. Not everyone is | | | | the middle of the night, not having to worry |
| pursuing a career in an Allied Health field right out | | | | about library hours or driving in bad weather.o |
| of high school; now students may also be mature, | | | | Accessibility. Geographic proximity or time |
| employed individuals who have complex family | | | | constraints do not prohibit students from utilizing |
| responsibilities. Or perhaps they live or work some | | | | these courses.o Student Interaction Increases. |
| distance from the colleges and universities where | | | | Students not only listen and take notes, but they |
| they'd like to study. | | | | also pose ideas to and ask questions of the |
| It's becoming harder than ever to advance your | | | | instructor as well as other students in discussion |
| career while managing your already full life. Luckily, | | | | groups.o Collaboration and Team Problem Solving. |
| online learning has stepped in to fill this gap. | | | | Using asynchronous and synchronous |
| Colleges, Community Colleges and Vocational and | | | | communication tools, students can work together |
| Technical School are all addressing these changing | | | | on projects much more easily.o Increased Sharing |
| needs by using advanced technologies such as the | | | | of Knowledge. In the traditional classroom, the |
| Internet to help student earn their degrees. This | | | | instructor is the primary source of information. In |
| enables institutions to reach beyond the traditional | | | | distance learning, students have a greater |
| classrooms to deliver an education to students | | | | opportunity to share their knowledge and |
| located in different, non-centralized locations. | | | | experience, allowing the members of the group to |
| So how, exactly, does one learn online? The | | | | learn from each other.o Immediate Access to |
| various tools used for online education include the | | | | Updated Material. Any material or announcements |
| following:o E-mail. Course papers and draft | | | | that have been changed can be distributed |
| materials may be sent, commented on, and | | | | instantly.o Developing Technology Skills. Students |
| returned as attached documents.o Listservs: This | | | | are learning technology skills that they can apply |
| is a one-to-many communication exchange. People | | | | later in their work setting. |
| subscribe to listservs based on discussion topics | | | | Some important factors should be considered |
| that interest them.o Discussion Groups. These | | | | when deciding if online learning is right for you. |
| groups are retained in a specified area on the | | | | While it has been shown that students can learn |
| Internet. You must go to the discussion group to | | | | course content online as well as in the traditional |
| post your comments and read and reply to the | | | | classroom setting, less information is available on |
| comments of others. All the comments can be | | | | socialization issues related to those working in |
| viewed easily and in sequence.o Chat Rooms. | | | | health care. Happily, careful selection of clinical |
| Chat is synchronous communication as the | | | | settings for experience, on-site preceptors, |
| participants are online at the same time talking to | | | | requirements for certain on-campus experiences, |
| each other.o Streaming Video. Entire lectures can | | | | and group attendance of students and faculty |
| be delivered using streaming video technology.o | | | | members at regional or national meetings are |
| Desktop Videoconferencing. With a small camera | | | | some methods used to assist socialization. |
| mounted on top of the computer, students and | | | | When selecting your educational program, you |
| faculty members are able to see and talk with | | | | should clearly define your goals for your |
| each other using desktop videoconferencing | | | | educational experiences. If you want a degree |
| software.o Web Sites. Components of or the | | | | from a particular institution but do not want to |
| entire course content can be delivered through | | | | move or travel there, you need to explore the |
| the creation of a Web site. | | | | online opportunities offered. You need to |
| When deciding to take online courses, other | | | | remember that it is not an either/or proposition. |
| factors must be considered. What you need to | | | | You may be able to combine traditional |
| participate in online classes varies with the | | | | classroom-based courses with online learning for |
| sophistication of the tools used by the course | | | | selected courses to optimize your overall |
| instructor. Sending and receiving e-mail, | | | | educational program. |
| participating in discussion groups, and viewing online | | | | Online learning is being used by more and more |
| syllabi require fairly simple technology. You need a | | | | educational institutions to provide both degrees |
| computer with a modem and Internet access. | | | | and continuing education. As noted above, the |
| Video streaming and desktop video conferencing | | | | world is changing and so is the way we deliver |
| require additional software and systems. It is | | | | health care education. Online education has opened |
| important to investigate any technology issues in | | | | a world of opportunities to students and faculty |
| your area before undertaking a course. Access to | | | | members. |