Strategic use of faculty workgroups to develop online interactive geriatric curricular modules.

Area of Science:

• Educational Technology
• Higher Education Pedagogy
• Instructional Design

Background:

• Implementing comprehensive multimedia teaching and learning strategies in higher education presents significant challenges.
• Faculty engagement is crucial for the successful adoption of new educational technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify effective strategies for overcoming challenges in developing and implementing college-wide multimedia teaching and learning approaches.
• To explore the role of faculty workgroups in the creation of interactive web-based learning modules.

Main Methods:

• Utilized faculty workgroups comprising grant team and course faculty to foster collaboration and leverage expertise.
• Integrated multimedia designers into workgroups to enhance module development.
• Demonstrated technology solutions at institutional meetings (e.g., college council).
• Employed familiar software to facilitate faculty communication regarding module design.

Main Results:

• Faculty workgroups successfully maximized faculty involvement and creativity in developing interactive web-based modules.
• The inclusion of multimedia designers and familiar software facilitated the design process.
• Demonstrations of technology promoted broader institutional awareness and potential adoption.

Conclusions:

• Strategic use of faculty workgroups is a key strategy for overcoming challenges in multimedia educational technology implementation.
• Collaborative approaches involving faculty, designers, and accessible tools enhance the development of effective web-based learning modules.
• Practical insights are provided for higher education technology teams from both human and design perspectives.