Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
The loneliness of the distance
education provider: Overcoming
geographic isolation through
technology
Rob Griffiths, Director
Occupational & Aviation Medicine
The world’s leading provider of distance education in aviation medicine
Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
What is Technology?
The purposeful application of information
in the design, production, and utilization
of goods and services, and in the
organization of human activities.

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/
The world’s leading provider of distance education in aviation medicine
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What to Int’l DL students want?
Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
 To be:
– accepted
– heard
– connected
– paced
– understood
– interactive
– collaborative
 The “Real Oil”!
Koper R. How Do Students Want to Learn in Online Distance Education? Profiling Student Preferences
International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning .2015; 16 (1): 307-29
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Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
Andragogy

Self-concept

Experience brought to learning

Readiness to learn

Orientation and application to context

Motivation
Knowles - 1980
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Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
Teachnology
Goal:To make international distance learning
a better experience than the classroom
Academic presence
Learning communities
Interstitial learning
Experiential learnings
Knowlesian approaches to adult learning
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Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
Digital Strategies
Multimedia
Technology partners
Academic partners
Tutor selection
Student engagement
 Problem-oriented learning
Social media
Soft skills learning
The world’s leading provider of distance education in aviation medicine
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Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
Digital Tactics
Platform selection & development
Push communications
Desktop simulations
Forums
Virtual reality
Office hours
Independence language & culture
The world’s leading provider of distance education in aviation medicine
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Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
Multimedia
Culture & language bandwidth
Effectiveness/Efficiency
Promotes teamwork
Enables skill development
Vast (but undisciplined) resource
Profcasts
Encourage students to make their own
Innovative teaching: Using multimedia in a problem-based learning environment. Educational Technology & Society
2001; 4 (4):
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Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
Technology Partners
Open software vs bespoke?
Choice of LMS criteria
Technology support
Adding functionality
How and why of teaching
Evidence for effectiveness
The world’s leading provider of distance education in aviation medicine
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Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
Academic Partnerships
Sometimes a government requirement
Effective branding
Complementary areas of expertise
Accreditation
Marketing
Local support
Collaboration beats competition!
The world’s leading provider of distance education in aviation medicine
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Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
Teaching Staff
Expert
Well connected
Committed
Flexible
Understands distance learning
Available
Responsiveness/Immediacy
Culturally aware
The world’s leading provider of distance education in aviation medicine
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Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
Student engagement
Forums
Webinars
Journals
Emails
Office hours
Second life
Simulations
Team work
The world’s leading provider of distance education in aviation medicine
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Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
Problem-oriented learning
Relate to real-world problems
FTF & online simulations
Clinical exercises
Assignments
Application of learning to real world situations
South Pole Evacuation
“I just thought I'd let you know that the AVMX teaching that you guys gave us during the Diploma of
Aeromedical Retrieval and Transport (I studied it in 2012/2013) has been invaluable in the safe planning
and execution of what is one of the harder places to get a medevac from.”
The world’s leading provider of distance education in aviation medicine
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Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
Social Media
 “Social Presence”
– Facebook
– Twitter
– LinkedIn
– WhatsApp
– Snapchat
 Academic Social
Networking Sites
 “Academic Presence”
The world’s leading provider of distance education in aviation medicine
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Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
Soft Competency Skills
Thinking globally
Networking
Collaboration
VOIP presentations
Lead/join exercises
Comfort with technology
Self-determination
“Owning your learning”
The world’s leading provider of distance education in aviation medicine
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Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
Culture & Gender in Learning
General cultural, religious and social expectations
Teaching, participation, assessment and learning
expectations
Differences in the use of language and symbols
Technological infrastructure and familiarity
Directness & intimacy
Lack of tutor awareness
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Occupational and Aviation
Medicine
Smart Use of Technology
Safe constructivist, interactive learning
Create expectations of DL experiences
Structure by communication, not deadlines
Connectedness, individual & communal
Journalling the journey
Student-centred & owned
Close communication loops
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