Safe Work in the 21st Century Education and Training Needs for the Next Decade's Occupational Safety and Health Personnel (2000) / Chapter Skim
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8 Alternatives to Traditional Classrooms
8 Alternatives to Traditional Classrooms
Pages 196-206
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From page 196... ...
They are planned and structured means of learning that use electronic technology-based media including audio, print, video, and the Internet, alone or in combination. Limited but impressive data on the popularity and effectiveness of distance education in preparing physicians for occupational medicine board certification examinations point to its potential as a means of facilitating education and certification of the many practicing OSH personnel without formal specialty training in the area.
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From page 197... ...
Another alternative to traditional classrooms is distance learning or distance education. Distance education and distance learning modalities
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From page 198... ...
With the need for expanded training of workers in OSH, many of whom work in small establishments, and the need for professionals at every level, increased use of distance learning can help fill many of the currently unmet education and training needs. Distance learning is explored here as a potential means of facilitating lifelong learning by OSH professionals and more specifically as an alternative to traditional graduate training in occupational medicine and occupational health nursing, two professions with large numbers of practitioners without formal specialty training in the area.
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From page 199... ...
A wellknown example is the aircraft simulator, which is routinely used to train pilots in emergency procedures. High-voltage training simulators, mining simulators, vehicle simulators, and medical laboratory simulators are used to train individuals safely, allowing for errors, eliminating casualties and saving revenue by avoiding destruction of property.
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From page 200... ...
DISTANCE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE RELATIONSHIPS: POTENTIAL BENEFITS AND COSTS Distance education expands the ability to offer education toward a certificate or degree, continuing education, and work site education and to expand the pool of professionals and on-site employees and employers in OSH. The different techniques provide individuals with the flexibility, depending on the modality, to learn at the work site, at home, or in local community facilities at specially established network sites.
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From page 201... ...
Many distance learning programs are augmented by periodic meetings of students and faculty mentors to encourage interpersonal interaction and dialogue. For certain skill training, including industrial hygiene analytic techniques and patient care in medicine and nursing, hands-on work in the presence of faculty or preceptors is still required.
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From page 202... ...
Costs can also be affected by such things as shared networks or courses, where multiple institutions collaborate on joint educational and training activities and either use existing sites for the distance learning or establish decentralized education networks as in the case of the Kansas universities discussed later or the virtual universities referred to earlier. Infrastructure costs are substantially reduced with broad-based cross-institutional collaboration (Stephens, 1999~.
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From page 203... ...
Combined with the efforts of the Area Health Education Centers, these sites are designed to provide distance education for numerous health professionals who either are taking clinical preceptorships in the area or want to enroll in continuing education or in degree and certificate programs. A master's-level occupational therapy program in collaboration with Pittsburg State University is currently offered at one site.
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From page 204... ...
Occupational health students were first accepted in 1986, with the Master of Public Health program accredited in 1991. The entire curriculum is based on distance learning using computer technology.
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From page 205... ...
Tulane University School of Public Health has announced plans for a new Internet-based Masters in Public Health degree program in Occupational Health that is designed for physicians, nurses and other health professionals who work in occupational health programs or clinics. The twoyear, part-time program will provide the academic year required for board certification in preventive medicine/occupational medicine.
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From page 206... ...
CONCLUSION With the dramatic changes that have occurred and that will occur in the workplace and in the composition of the workforce, flexible new methods of training workers and professionals in occupational health and safety need to be considered for all environments. Distance education techniques can be used not only to transmit discrete modules on specific toxic substances but also to provide access to degree programs and ongoing continuing education for busy OSH professionals.
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