DEVELOPMENT OF INTERACTIVE PATIENT-BASED MULTIMEDIA COMPUTER-PROGRAMSIN VETERINARY ORTHOPEDIC RADIOLOGY

Three computerized multimedia programs on large and small animal veter inary orthopedic radiology were developed and implemented for the radi ology curriculum as an alternative to traditional film-based laborator y learning. Programs utilized ''hot words'' (colored test words that d isplayed an overlaid image label that highlighted lesions) and interac tive quizzes which responded appropriately to selected answers. ''Hot words'' helped students develop confidence in accurate lesion detectio n and the interactive quizzes transformed learning from a passive to a n active process. Multiple examples were provided for reinforcement an d concepts were incorporated from other clinical disciplines for curri culum integration. Programs were written using a presentation software program, Toolbook(R) for DOS based platform, and contained radiograph ic images made by laser-scanning digitization. Multiple students could simultaneously access the programs through a network server. These pi lot programs were implemented successfully and computerized multimedia presentation proved to be well suited to teaching radiology. Developm ent of the programs required attention to a number of hardware, softwa re, time and cost factors.