|
U N I V E R S I T Y O F P I T T S B U R G H |
|
|
|
A newsletter devoted to the support of teaching and learning at the University of Pittsburgh |
|
U N I V E R S I T Y O F P I T T S B U R G H |
|
|
|
A newsletter devoted to the support of teaching and learning at the University of Pittsburgh |
|
Adaptive Hypermedia to Introduce Tissue Engineering
Research in Sfeir’s Tissue Engineering requires teamwork among researchers/students from different educational backgrounds. This diversity is key to a successful research outcome. Sfeir’s vision to establish a creative team environment is predicated on a training mechanism that allows the clinicians to understand engineering principles and the engineers to understand clinical problems. In addition, both the clinicians and the engineers must have a strong comprehension of the disease being treated or the tissue being regenerated. After a customized Web-based course and follow-up with small group interaction, the students will understand the major facets of tissue engineering and be able to devise creative approaches for tissue engineering therapies. With this award, both Sfeir and Spallek intend to exploit adaptive hypermedia research in order to move from the broadcast paradigm to an individualized teaching approach. They continue: “This learner-centered education begins with the selection of learning goals, the evaluation of abilities, and the determination of individual learning styles. In the environment we are creating, every learner will be special.” The built-in algorithms of the Web-based course application will assess students’ knowledge levels and subsequently customize the delivery of the material. This approach also will tailor the content toward students’ interests and learning styles. In addition to this customized delivery, adaptive hypermedia also provides the coursework expediently, thereby facilitating “learning-just-in-time.” These features of adaptive hypermedia provide an ideal platform for teaching a multidisciplinary course such as Tissue Engineering. Ultimately, their goal is to establish a unified course among the medical, dental, and engineering schools that employs a Web site combining adaptive hypermedia and traditional lectures; and discussions involving faculty and administration from all three schools are currently underway. | |||||||||||||||||
|
A newsletter devoted to the support of teaching and learning at the University of Pittsburgh |
||||||||||||||||||
| Center
for Instructional Development & Distance Education |
||||||||||||||||||
