To prepare students for successful health management careers and to attract more non-traditional students, health management academic programs increasingly consider exposing their students to advanced computer technologies through online. The integration of student perspectives and ongoing evaluation are keys to success. We explored student perspectives in the context of a project to develop and implement online learning of a graduate health services management course at Northern Illinois University. Students enrolled in the face-to-face course in Spring 2000 had three online units. Then they took a survey to provide data on computer skills and online experience. Sixty-seven percent of students hold a job (half full-time and half part-time) and 76% owned a computer. Sixty-two percent had four or more years of computer experience, 64% had at least 3 years of Internet experience, and 92% reported an average or above average computer literacy. Forty-two percent, 30%, and 28% had respectively a negative or very negative, a neutral, and a positive or very positive impression of the online learning. No significant difference on impression of online learning was found in terms of employment status, computer ownership, and length of computer and Internet use. However, almost half of the students have improved their Internet navigation and communication. Even if a number of traditional paper-based, face-to-face students were experiencing difficulty with new advanced computer-based learning environments, there was a potential for a number of students to achieve advanced computer skills. More adequate, dynamic and user-friendly interfaces may generate more positive student responses and outcomes.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the partcipants in this session will be able to: 1) List and explain the benefits of using an online course in health services management. 2) Clearly identify the perspectives of students enrolled in an online course in health services management. 3) Define the extent of the magnitude of Internet skills acquired by public health students in an online learning experience.
Keywords: Communication Technology, Public Health Curricula
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.