Module and Course Development Grant
Purdue University
Clinical Pathology for Veterinary Technicians
Abstract
The Veterinary Technology Distance Learning Program (VT-DLP) is a new Associate of Science degree-granting program offered by Purdue University - West Lafayette campus. The VT-DLP provides the unique opportunity for residents of Indiana and other states to take courses in veterinary technology without having to leave their current employment in veterinary practices or corporate institutions. The VT-DLP will provide a total educational package that will allow graduates to meet State requirements to become Registered Veterinary Technicians. The VT-DLP is helping Purdue be a leader in addressing one of the key manpower issues facing the veterinary profession on a national scale. One of the keystone courses in the VT-DLP are the Clinical Pathology for Veterinary Technicians course modules. This proposal is for the first of three modular courses. The clinical pathology course modules are highly dependent upon excellent quality cytology images and clear illustration of clinical pathology techniques. This grant requests partial support of the release time for specialized faculty/staff to develop this course module, staff support for producing the required visual components of the course module, and software to develop and deliver the course module.
Narrative
1. Need to be addressed.
Currently Purdue University graduates approximately 30 veterinary technicians each year. In the state of Indiana alone there are approximately 200 job openings each year for veterinary technicians. Nationally, the demand for veterinary technicians far outstrips the ability of the 82 AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) accredited on-campus programs to provide qualified graduates. The cost of animal facilities, equipment, and personnel needed to develop an AVMA accredited on-campus veterinary technology program is a strong deterrent to the establishment of additional brick and mortar facilities to meet this widening need gap both in Indiana and nationally. The Veterinary Technology Distance Learning Program (VT-DLP) is Purdue's significant contribution to meeting this need. The Clinical Pathology course module, for which this grant is requesting support, is a keystone course in the VT-DLP.
2. Learners to be served.
Currently in the state of Indiana, no veterinary technology program exists that offers students the opportunity to acquire the education that will qualify them to become Registered Veterinary Technicians while allowing them to remain at their jobs in veterinary practice and corporate institutions. The on-campus veterinary technology program typically receives approximately 150 applications each year for the 30 available slots. Expansion of the on-campus program is considered very expensive and not a viable alternative for meeting the demand. Based upon the locations of received requests for VT-DLP information, the Indiana population served would include potential students and veterinary facilities in all major metropolitan areas as well as many rural areas typically underserved by veterinary service in Indiana.
3. Rationale for choice of module or course, and technology or technologies to be used.
The Clinical Pathology course module is very visual in content. It requires high quality cytology (cell) or blood cell images that are clear enough to allow the student to identify, analyze, and accurately assess cell characteristics. In addition, preparation techniques must be shown in a way that allows the student to develop a 3-dimensional model of how the technique is performed. Because of the highly visual nature of the Clinical Pathology course and the degree of quality of images required, this course module will provide a prototype for development of other VT-DLP courses that are also highly visual in their content (radiology, microbiology, parasitology, etc.). CD-ROMs will be made with the high quality still or motion video images. The World Wide Web will provide the student with textual information as well as the clinical scenarios that will provide the motivation and organization for the student to assimilate the course content. Student interaction with other students and instructors will be via e-mail, bulletin boards, and synchronous class sessions ("chats").
4./5. Institution's capacity and commitment to the module or course development project
The faculty of the School of Veterinary Medicine has approved the VT-DLP proposed curriculum. The Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine has committed significant funding for necessary personnel and equipment to develop and deliver VT-DLP courses. The individual department heads in the School of Veterinary Medicine have given up tightly coveted office space to house VT-DLP staff. Purdue University has provided the School of Veterinary Medicine with an Academic Reinvestment grant to get the first 14 VT-DLP courses on-line. The Purdue Vice President overseeing the development of distance education at Purdue and the central administrative services (Admissions, Bursar, Registrar) have all worked with the VT-DLP director to create new mechanisms for addressing VT-DLP student needs. The Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the administration of the School of Veterinary Medicine have provided some funding to help free up the use of a clinical pathology technician to aid in the development of this specific course. Attached are letters of support from both Purdue administrators and veterinarians who are "end users" of the VT-DLP product.
6. Instructional design and delivery plan.
A specific instructional model was developed for use in the development of VT-DLP course modules. The model uses the web primarily as a teaching engine to provide the "reason" for the student to engage the content (paper, CD-ROM, web site text, etc.) and assimilate the material. The web contains clinical scenarios, case studies, or questions that the student must address and answer using the course content. This model builds in elements of motivation, self-assessment, formative feedback, summative evaluation, and strong inter-personal communication and support.
VT-DLP courses are adapted from the on-campus program courses using a task analysis approach of the content and motor skills, then applying that analysis to the distance format. The educational analysis significantly precedes the technology selection.
The technology used in this specific course module will be a combination of WebCT, bulletin board interactions, and HTML web programming for submission of materials and responses for evaluation. Delivery of visual content and additional text notes will be on CD-ROMs sent to the students. Evaluation of student performance will be using WebCT for recognition/recall, submission of materials (e.g., prepared slides), and paper/pencil examinations for assessment of analysis and synthesis skills.
7. Explanation of how the instructional design will serve the needs of the target audience.
Manpower studies by the North American Veterinary Technician Association (NAVTA) and the Association of Veterinary Technician Educators (AVTE) have shown that there exists a very large number of individuals working in veterinary practices, zoos, humane societies, wildlife rehabilitation sanctuaries, and other animal related facilities who have several years of practical experience, have the potential to do well in a college/university setting, and have a strong interest in acquiring the knowledge/skill to become a Registered Veterinary Technician, but are unable to leave their current jobs due to family or occupation obligations and responsibilities. The VT-DLP is targeted towards this specific audience. The VT-DLP allows these individuals to obtain an Associate Degree from Purdue University in veterinary technology, and meet the AVMA requirements for being eligible to become a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT).
In addition, part or all of the Clinical Pathology course module may be spun off into continuing education for graduate veterinary technicians. The State of Indiana, as an increasing number of states now do, requires RVTs to log a set number of hours of approved continuing education. This course module can help meet that need without inconveniencing the student or the employer by requiring the student take off work days to attend a conference.
8. Module or course evaluation plan.
The Clinical Pathology course module, like the other VT-DLP courses, is evaluated by a formal evaluation system/survey on the VT-DLP web site. In addition, because most of these students are adult learners, they are much more vocal about what they like or dislike about a course in their e-mails to the course instructor, the program secretary, the instructional technologists, or the director of the VT-DLP. The Clinical Pathology course module, along with the other VT-DLP courses, will be evaluated by the Committee for Veterinary Technician Education & Activities (CVTEA) which is the accrediting body of the AVMA for veterinary technology programs. Ultimately, the performance of VT-DLP graduates on the clinical pathology portion of the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) will provide a national benchmark against which students taking the Purdue Clinical Pathology course module can be measured.
9. Quality and/or transferability plans and/or strategies.
The Clinical Pathology course module is a keystone course in the VT-DLP Associate Degree program. In addition, the educational model used in developing the Clinical Pathology course (and all VT-DLP courses) is a publishable model. The experience gained by adapting this educational model to the highly visual nature of the Clinical Pathology course module will provide an additional dimension of experience/testing of the model. The model has already appeared in the Proceeding of the Distance Learning Symposium held at University of Wisconsin, Madison, August 2000. The model and the outcomes of this course module and the VT-DLP will be submitted to the American Journal of Distance Education.
10. Information about how the module or course significance in a statewide context.
Track 2. Currently the on-campus Purdue University veterinary technology program graduates approximately 30 veterinary technicians each year. The majority of these graduates stay in Indiana. There are approximately 150 students who apply for the 30 available on-campus slots each year. The majority of those applicants are from Indiana. In the state of Indiana each year there are approximately 200 job openings for veterinary technicians. The VT-DLP serves both the Indiana student who didn't make it into the on-campus program and the veterinarian who can not attract a graduate veterinary technician to his/her part of Indiana.
11. Marketing plan.
The Clinical Pathology course module and the VT-DLP are marketed on the VT-DLP home page, the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine home page, at Indiana State Veterinary Medical Association meetings, and through local veterinary medical association meetings. Once AVMA accreditation is granted, a national marketing campaign through large veterinary medical meetings (North American Conference, AVMA Annual Conference, Western States Conference) will be implemented.
12. Project schedule
The Clinical Pathology course module will go on-line Fall 2001. Development will begin in November 2000.
13. Key module or course development personnel
| Faculty member: | Robert P. Bill - Director of VT-DLP |
| Instructional designer: | Paige Jones
- Instructional Technologist for VT-DLP Pam Schendel - Clinical Pathology Technician |
| Media specialist: | Jesse Charles - Media Specialist for VT-DLP |
Budget
The majority of the budget is to support faculty and staff needed to complete this project. Dr. Robert Bill (faculty associate) is the director of the VT-DLP and oversees the development and delivery of all VT-DLP courses.
Jesse Charles (professional) is a media specialist associated with the VT-DLP. His role will be in the production of the media (digitizing images, producing CD-ROMs) and web page development.
Paige Jones (professional) is the Instructional Technologist for VT-DLP. Paige will work with the Clinical Pathology technician to translate the on-campus course into a general distance learning format and will facilitate the WebCT component of this course module.
The "Technician" will be a relief technician employed to allow Pam Schendel, a clinical pathology technician, to develop the content for the VT-DLP course.
The S&E will include CD-ROM media; film; media for digitizing, transport, and storage of images; and required laboratory materials as slides, stain, etc. S&E purchases are not part of the routine support or institutional infrastructure.
The computer software will include WebCT software and Adobe Acrobat software upgrade.
The cost of fringe benefits are standard for the positions of the participating individuals at Purdue University.
| IPSE | Purdue | |
| Faculty associate 0.05 FTE | $3942.00 | |
| Professional 0.10 FTE | $1414.00 | $2121.00 |
| Professional 0.10 FTE | $3899.00 | |
| Technician | $10605.00 | |
| Total Fringe Benefits | $4801.00 | $3094.00 |
| S&E | $1000.00 | |
| Computer software | $2000.00 | |
| TOTAL | $19820.00 | $13056.00 |
Appendix
Lead Faculty Member's Experience
Dr. Robert L. Bill is an Associate Professor of Veterinary Pharmacology and Assistant to the Director of Veterinary Technology. He is also the director of the Veterinary Technology Distance Learning Program (VT-DLP). Dr. Bill is one of the few faculty who have completed a combined Ph.D. (1990) in an area of veterinary medical/science and in education. He has been instrumental in curriculum reform of the veterinary program, including the development of a 12 credit hour (over 4 semesters) problem-based learning program called Applications & Integrations. He was the initiator of the distance learning program in the veterinary technician program at Purdue and has served as its director since its inception in 1997. Dr. Bill is the past president of the Association of Veterinary Technician Educators, currently serves on CVTEA, the accrediting body of the American Veterinary Medical Association for veterinary technology programs, and is the recipient of 21 teaching awards in 13 years of teaching.
Support letters are attached.
