Proposal

Narrative

The purpose of this project is to create an online, digital library of eBooks and medical applications (apps) that support the College of Medicine curriculum and enhances learning for all students equipped with an iPad. Currently, there is no computer lab in any College of Medicine building for students to use, unlike other Colleges. COM students rely on iPads as their primary computing devices and an Apple ecosystem for everyday classroom activities – notetaking, watching lecture recordings, email, sharing class files and data, research and access to Blackboard – as well as for their Hospital rotations and clinical activities which take place off campus and away from FAU resources. The iPad's true potential is only reached through the use of eBooks and apps, and currently there is no specific medical app library available for College of Medicine students. Students are encouraged to download free apps that may benefit their education, but no medical apps are provided on behalf of FAU or the College of Medicine. Unfortunately, the budget for education resources and materials is limited with no funds for new resources. In fact, the College of Medicine has drastically cut many subscriptions to medical journals and databases just to maintain the current collection. This award would provide the supplemental funds to continue providing innovative resources for students to support their education and research endeavors. In addition, many required core textbooks are accessible on iPads. In an effort to reduce costs for students – a national initiative – this project will provide required core textbooks via an app. Similarly, databases which support the curriculum are available as apps. This project will provide access to an evidence-based, decision support database and its app on the iPad; thus enhancing the power of the iPad as an educational tool in the College of Medicine by engaging students, reducing costs for students, and giving our students an edge on the competition in the job sphere. The requested apps for this project were suggested and evaluated by students, medical faculty librarians, COM faculty instructors, and the COM Learning Resources Sub-Committee. In addition, relevant literature reviews, authoritative websites such as iMedicalapps and Edtechteacher, and medical schools with successful iPad programs were consulted as part of the discovery and evaluation of recommended apps to support the curriculum, to engage students and faculty, and to enhance student learning. This proposal aligns with Goal 4 of the 2015-2025 Strategic Plan: • Quality: Continuously-assessed and evolving best practices. Design a resilient, lean organization—based on best logistical practices—that identifies economies of scale and incorporates new technologies to promote institutional development. The project also aligns with the stated Strategic Actions and Initiatives from the Strategic Plan (page 7): • Develop an academic support structure for timely student graduation: o Elevate the use of eLearning to supplement classroom education o Evaluate and update curricula to be aligned with evidence-based practices, as established by learning sciences o Assist faculty to develop innovative instructional methodologies and designs across the curriculum The creation of a medical app library will help provide the catalyst to transform medical education at the College of Medicine through the adoption of innovative technology resources and tools. In addition, we hope this program will become a model for adoption by other colleges at FAU who are already using mobile technologies, specifically iPads in the curriculum such as College of Nursing. Other health care sciences programs along with College of Science and College of Engineering may also benefit from developing an app library to support projects and curricula, as well as a library of digital core textbooks in an effort to reduce cost to students and to provide information at their fingertips with the ability to annotate, highlight, collaborate, and share. We expect to share successes of this project University wide for the potential benefit of all FAU students.

Facilities

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Hardware Requirements

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Software Requirements

Digital eBooks: • Inkling app with core medical textbooks: o Bates’ Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking o Essential Clinical Anatomy o Histology: A Text and Atlas o Langman’s Medical Embryology o Lippincott Illustrated Review: Biochemistry o Pathology of Heart Disease o Renal Pathophysiology Medical apps: • PocketBrain app • PocketHeart app • GoodReader app • Notability app

Personnel Costs

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Other Costs

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Timeline

All digital eBooks, database subscriptions, and medical apps will be purchased via the Apple Volume Purchase Program (AVPP) for new incoming students (M1s) in academic years 2017-2018.

Sustainability

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Resource Matching

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Implementing Organization

COM IT