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Name: Jennifer L. Schori Phone #: 856-935-1156

Please complete this Final Co-op Plan and submit by the course due date.

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of my co-op experience is to assess the interest and effectiveness of online case-based learning for
providing continuing education (CE) to practicing veterinarians in order to gauge the value of further development of this
learning format.

Professional/Personal Learning Objectives (at least three)

Objective One:

Learn about how online case-based learning might be developed through working on this co-op project.

Objective Two:

Assemble an e-learning team for creation of a regular online e-learning section on our company website.

Objective Three:

To play a key role in establishing our company as the premier place to go for innovative e-learning.

Strategically Planning your Co-op: Goals, Objectives and Timeline for Deliverables

Goal One:
Assess veterinarians interest in online case-based CE (9/14/14 9/20/14)

Objectives:
1. Create questionnaire asking veterinarians about how they currently obtain CE, what their online use/habits
are, what they feel would make CE better (i.e., easier to obtain, more enjoyable, better learning experience),
whether case-based learning is something that interests them and, if so, what specific topics they would like
case-based learning to cover (e.g., cardiology, dermatology, neurology).
2. Post questionnaire as a link on company Facebook page.
3. Analyze results of questionnaire responses in addition to literature review of veterinary online and/or case-
based learning.

Goal Two:
Evaluate learner retention using case-based format vs webinar (10/1/14 10/31/14)

Objectives:
1. Invite a sample of veterinarians to participate in this research project.
2. Assign participants to one of two groups: one group to take an online case-based learning module on a
specific topic (to be determined based on both veterinarians responses on questionnaire and availability of
online case-based modules already developed), the second group to view a webinar covering the same topic.
3. Administer an online multiple choice quiz covering the material learned 4 weeks after the learning event.
4. Quantitatively compare results of quiz from each group of participants (case-based learning vs. webinar).

Goal Three:
Assess learner engagement of online case-based learning (11/3/14 11/9/14)
Drexel University
Master of Science in Learning Technologies
Graduate Cooperative Education Final Co-op Plan FORM

Revised 9/5/2007
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Objectives:
1. Administer survey of learner-perceived engagement to the case-based learning group, including both closed-
and open-ended questions
2. Qualitatively assess responses to survey.

Finalized Theoretical Framework / Projected Outcomes and Evaluation Plans

Veterinary medical education does not end upon graduation from veterinary school. Continuous advancements in
veterinary medicine and state license renewal requirements necessitate that practitioners keep up-to-date with best
standards of practice through lifelong continuing education (CE). Traditional means of acquiring CE (i.e., live meetings)
can pose obstacles due to expense, time, and travel requirementsthese can limit CE opportunities for busy
practitioners. The purpose of this action research study is to explore an alternative method for veterinarians to obtain CE;
specifically, asynchronous case-based online learning. It is proposed that provision of this type of learning would help
veterinarians overcome some of these limitations.
Previous studies published in reference to human and veterinary medical education point to case-based learning as an
effective means of teaching students. This format for learning is relatively new in both human and veterinary medicine,
but early data indicate students enjoy this type of learning and experience similar outcomes as those achieved with
didactic learning. Case-based education allows constructivist learning to take place for students who would normally not
experience this type of training until later in their degree programs (during clinical rotations) and, additionally, enables
them to experience a larger variety of cases than might be experienced during a clinical rotation, as these are limited to
whatever happens to come in to the teaching hospital during a particular students rotation. I believe similar benefits of
constructivist learning and wider variety of cases can be realized for practicing veterinarians in regard to online case-
based CE.
The projected outcome of this research project is to have data to support further development of online case-based
learning modules for our companys website. Data will be gathered and evaluated through use of a literature review,
surveys, questionnaires, and quantitative measurement of research participant learning.
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List of Mentors and Participants Invol ved in your Co-op

Participant Name Job Title / Position Role In Co-op
J ennifer Schori Medical Editor Student Researcher
Elizabeth Haslam Course Instructor Co-op Advisor
Nikki Howell Director, Operations Supervisor
Mickael Lucchini Manager, Interactive Technical Support
Lindsay Reese Interactive Editor Technical Support
Indu Mani Editor Reviewer
Beth Green President Executive Supervisor
Veterinary Practitioners DVMs/VMDs Research Participants