In the words of Marshall McLuhan, “We are shaped by what our technology enables us to do, see, experience and…communicate.” The current and future generations of healthcare professional students are shaped by an entirely new set of technologies, very different from the technology (print, telephone, radio, television) of their teachers. In particular, Internet-based communication tools such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and their ability to you connected to the world 24/7 have had a direct effect on the Millennial generation – especially the way they interact with their peers, family and society. Immediate access to vastly greater amount of data than previous generations has had both positive and negative effects on learning and further complicates the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills for healthcare.
This session will outline important differences between traditional approaches and the expectations of modern learners. We will review and discuss successful, innovative uses of new technology for learning. Finally, we will highlight the critical ingredients of effective education/learning, regardless of technology, and construct an integrated approach to teaching the next generation of healthcare providers.
Dr. McGee graduated from Louisiana State University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at the University of Florida where he also served as Chief Medical Resident. He completed advanced endoscopy training at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. While in his endoscopy training, the new Harvard-Beth Israel Institute for Education and Research invited him to head their computer-based learning initiatives. There he pioneered virtual patient simulation funded by a $1.6 million grant from the Macy Foundation. In 2001, after five years on the Harvard faculty, the University of Pittsburgh recruited him to establish his own Laboratory for Educational Technology at the School of Medicine.