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Bridging the Technology Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Using Virtual Outreach to Expose Middle and High School Students to Imaging Technology
Published on: September 28, 2022
Effectiveness of online instruction in the radiologic sciences
1Midwestern State University, Wichita, Falls, Texas, USA.
Online courses in radiologic technology show mixed results. While overall outcomes were comparable, face-to-face instruction led to higher national certification exam scores in patient care compared to online learning.
Area of Science:
- Radiologic Technology Education
- Distance Learning in Healthcare
Background:
- Online courses are prevalent across academic fields.
- Studies show comparable or superior outcomes for online learning.
- Effectiveness of online courses requires evaluation in specific disciplines like radiologic technology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the instructional effectiveness of two radiologic science courses.
- To compare online versus face-to-face instruction formats.
Main Methods:
- Utilized archival data from 317 students.
- Compared performance indicators over two years for each course format.
- Examined national certification exam results based on instructional format.
Main Results:
- Instructional effectiveness varied between delivery types.
- Students in face-to-face courses achieved higher scores on the patient care section of the national certification exam.
- Overall student outcomes showed mixed results regarding delivery format.
Conclusions:
- Face-to-face instruction may be more effective for specific radiologic technology content, particularly patient care.
- Further research is needed to optimize online learning in radiologic science.
- The transition from face-to-face to online learning requires careful consideration of content and assessment.
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