TECHNOLOGY

Using Technology to Enhance the Facilitation of Learning in the Clinical Environment

Using Technology to Enhance the Facilitation of Learning in the Clinical Environment

Introduction

The term technology is of Greek origin and means a skill, while the word logos imply - a science. Technology refers to the applied knowledge or the applied science. According to the “Office of Technology Assessment,” “Medical technology is a set of techniques, medicines, equipment, tools and procedures used by the health professionals in providing health care to the individuals and systems, in which such technology is used .Advances in medicine in recent decades are in significant correlation with the advances in the information technology (Masic, 2010).

Education means, learning, teaching, or the process of acquiring skills or behavior modification through various exercises. Traditionally, medical education meant the oral, practical and more passive transferring of knowledge and skills from the educators to students and health professionals (Jonassen &Murphy, 1999).

A few decades ago, with the emergence of television, IT was expected to becoming the dominant medium, when it came to the information technologies that are used in medical education. Today it is clear that computers and computer technology took over the primacy of it, among other things, because they are already, by definition, either interactive mediums or require constant engagement of students and teachers (Reiser.et.al, 2001).

Computer, in general terms, is the device, by which the information is processed, or a device for the automatic processing of data of numerical and non-numerical nature.

These devices comprise the bases for computer information systems (e.g. CIS) or (i.e. information technology packages), which traditionally have been composed of at least two components or two subsystems consisting of multiple elements such as (1):

Hardware

Software

These two components act synergistically and both are essentially important for the proper operation of a computer system and its use in the medical education. Therefore, Hardware refers to all mechanical, visible and “tangible” computers' components (Tavakol and Reicherter, 2003).

Discussion

Computer information systems (CIS) in education of health professionals

Various forms of information systems have been developed; which can be broadly classified into four main groups:

Systems based on computer support for learning of basic medical sciences,

Computer simulation systems for training and testing of clinical competency,

Systems-based computer consulting, and,

Systems based on computers for data management and quality assurance

Since these are complex systems that require a basic knowledge from many disciplines, it is necessary to have enough trained people who utilize information systems. Therefore, educators, in addition to their academic scientific fields must be sufficiently IT literate (Ozturk and Dicle, 2008).

To this end, the manufacturers are developing information systems' applications that are easily acceptable to users, by organizing training of users and by providing continuous support to the functioning of the system. Today, at the time of the general movement of globalization, we have such a global software development (e.g. GSD - Global Software Development), where the virtual teams are developing information systems, educate consumers and support the work of such systems. These particular systems can be developed at the level of a facility ...