Breakout
Session Discussion Summary: Using Distance Education for Family and Provider
Training.
Mary
Jo Kuffner, Faye Eldar, and Margaret Maloney, Facilitators
Session
Handouts
The Center for the Advancement of Distance Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) explored a variety of instances when distance learning technology could be applied to dissemination strategies for the grantees. Some of these ideas are already being used by UIC to disseminate information from their grants.
By using webcasts, the personal computer really has the capacity to become a "seminar in a box." "Webcasting" generally refers to PowerPoint slides on the internet with corresponding audio. There are several types of webcasts; true broadcast format, entirely one-way; interactive, allows communication between the speakers and the audience through mechanisms such as chat, polling, and questions & answers; and, on demand allows the information to be stored on the internet and downloaded and viewed at any time.
The UIC discussed specific ways for using webcasts to enhance dissemination strategies. Some of the website topics UIC conducted through their MCHB grant include: "Health and the Law;" "Advocacy for Your Child with Special Needs;" "Health Care Transitions in the Era of Managed Care;" and, " Foresight: Your Child’s Vision in the Era of Managed Care." Other possibilities for the use of webcasts include online C/E units for provider training, and organizing and supporting parents of CSHCN, either through chat sessions, polling, or training.
Discussion from the grantees included brainstorming ways to utilize this technology. Many of the grantees agreed that this would be useful for staff, family, and provider training. Nancy Eddy from Parents Helping Parents mentioned that it might be nice to have some sort of computerized training for her project, she thought that a CD-ROM format might service her needs better. The UIC staff said that the main difference between this technology and CD-ROM development is that it is extremely easy to edit or update materials on the web. If you need to recreate a CD-ROM , it is much more time intensive and the costs are significant.
The UIC provided a list of web-based companies that offer webcasts, as well as web addresses of academic institutions and government agencies with extensive distance learning experience. UIC also offered some additional things to be mindful of when considering using webcasts for dissemination of grant information:
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