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Quality, reliability and safety are primary concerns in your professional world—and in ours. At SiTEL of MedStar Health, we provide a comprehensive education and training solution to those who work in healthcare. As seasoned professionals, we have many years of experience in the practice and management of medicine and healthcare, respectively. We understand how training impacts performance in hospitals.
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We created and continue to manage two of the nation’s largest simulation centers.
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Our integrated learning services are designed to empower healthcare organizations by combining Instructional Design, Clinical Simulation, Live Events, and On Demand Learning.
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Blog
05
Dec
2010
2010
Open Up The Navigation
Posted by Dan Knudson
A few weeks ago my wife and I traveled to Colorado to catch a couple of concerts. Having only visited Colorado once in the past, I knew that I would be relying on the GPS in my phone to get me to the venues, hotels and various other stops we were planning. Colorado is a beautiful state, my wife and I drove close to 900 miles from Friday morning when we arrived at the airport to Sunday afternoon when we dropped off the rental car, which fortunately came with unlimited mileage, and got back on the plane. The route from Denver to Durango is pretty straight forward but just off the beaten path are several quaint small towns and spectacular overlooks.Having the GPS gave us confidence to get off the main road, take in a overlook or two while all the the time knowing that this incredible piece of technology will “relcalulate” , and get us to our final destination, regadless how many “off road” adventures we took along the way. We made it to both the concerts, they were fantasitc, but the real bonuses were these “unplanned stops” along the way. The ability to make our own path, to take in what we wanted, at our pace, was really what made this trip remarkable.
The new trend in e-learning is to “open up the navigation”. Much like the weekend my wife and I took, e-learning modules should accomdate and encourage the learner to discover the information and accomadate as many “off road” opportunites as possible.
Remarkable e- learning will get the learner through the education, on their own path and at their own pace.
The route provided by me GPS would have gotten me from point A to point B, but was my ability to visit points C, D, E and F and still find point B that made my trip / experience so memorable. Designing modules that take the learner from beginning to end in a linear path is not making the most of the e-learning experience / trip. Module, design, like GPS design, needs to be flexible enough to allow the learner find their own way, following the “scent of information”, all the while making sure that they will reach the final destination. Using branching technology and adaptive learning techniques are key ways to ensure the e-learner has a remarkable experience.
My wife and I’s trip to Colorado became an adventure, one we will not likely forget, all because we were able to make choices along the way that impacted how we viewed and what we got from the experience. 1000’s of people make the same trip from Denver to Durango every year but our experience was unique thanks to the technology in my phone allowing me to “open up the navigation.”
I came home with a new resolve, to make e-learning remarkable. Using technology and a lttle creativity, we can give e-learners this same sense of adventure…by “opening up the navigation”, we create opportunites for the learner to experience the modules rather then just get through it, to discover the information for themselves rather than just advancing to the next slide…
Today’s e-learner needs modules that will allow them to to make their own path, move at their own pace thus creating a unique and remarkable adventure.
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Authors
Hollie Adejumo
Hollie Adejumo has been a high school intern at the SiTEL Clinical Simulation Center since 2010. Her principal areas of academic interest include chemistry, calculus, and global health. She is interested in providing medical services to the public and serving as a health advocate for underrepresented populations. Hollie hopes that her research will help to reduce unnecessary deaths in the future. She will pursue a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, which will enable her to combine her interests. Proceeding to obtain an MD/PhD will give her the ability to have autonomy in the practice of medicine. This year Ms. Adejumo will be assessing the need for orthopedic simulators, and hopes to begin designing a program for an orthopedic simulator by the end of the year. Outside of school, Hollie participates in a variety of activities. Although she has been a competitive swimmer for most of her life, she also enjoys running cross country and track.
Joyce Donnellan
As the Director of Learning Management, Joyce Donnellan brings over two decades of experience in critical care nursing education and professional development to SiTEL, Medstar’s Simulation and Training Environment Laboratory. She oversees the development and operation of SiTEL’s learning management system. Ms. Donnellan specializes in the development and integration of the learning management systems in complex and decentralized environments. She has extensive experience in education and training, including the development of curricula for both live and e-learning platforms. Ms. Donnellan enjoys collaborating with program directors, educators, and other stakeholders to develop training events and effective curricula. Her research endeavors include studying the impact of online learning on organizational behavior, as well as the integration of educational games into curriculum development. Joyce has presented nationally on e-learning topics, and on innovation in emergency preparedness training. She earned her Master’s of Science in Nursing degree from George Mason University.
Pamela Leonard
Pamela Leonard brings over 15 years of experience in critical care nursing and management to her role as the Director of the SiTEL’s Clinical Simulation Centers. Pam established the first simulation center for MedStar Health and now oversees the operations of several clinical simulation centers in the greater Washington, DC and Baltimore areas. She leads the Clinical Simulation Consulting Services at SiTEL, leveraging best practices pioneered at MedStar to integrate simulation training and education programs into healthcare operations. Pam works closely with Advanced Initiatives in Medical Simulation. AIMS is a coalition of individuals and organizations committed to promoting medical simulation as a way to improve patient safety, reduce medical errors, ensure provider competency, train people to respond to public emergencies and combat situations, and reduce health care costs.
