Blended learning in medical imaging pre-clinical skills training – does it work?

Undergraduate Medical Imaging (MI)students at QUT attend their first clinical placement towards the end of semester two. Students undertake two (pre)clinical skills development units – one theory and one practical. Students gain good contextual and theoretical knowledge during these units via a blended learning model with multiple learning methods employed. Students attend theory lectures, practical sessions, tutorial sessions in both a simulated and virtual environment and also attend pre-clinical scenario based tutorial sessions. The aim of this project is to evaluate the use of blended learning in the context of 1st year Medical Imaging Radiographic Technique and its effectiveness in preparing students for their first clinical experience. It is hoped that the multiple teaching methods employed within the pre-clinical training unit at QUT builds students clinical skills prior to the real situation. A quantitative approach will be taken, evaluating via pre and post clinical placement surveys. This data will be correlated with data gained in the previous year on the effectiveness of this training approach prior to clinical placement. In 2014 59 students were surveyed prior to their clinical placement demonstrated positive benefits of using a variety of learning tools to enhance their learning. 98.31%(n=58)of students agreed or strongly agreed that the theory lectures were a useful tool to enhance their learning. This was followed closely by 97% (n=57) of the students realising the value of performing role-play simulation prior to clinical placement. Tutorial engagement was considered useful for 93.22% (n=55) whilst 88.14% (n=52) reasoned that the x-raying of phantoms in the simulated radiographic laboratory was beneficial. Self-directed learning yielded 86.44% (n=51). The virtual reality simulation software was valuable for 72.41% (n=42) of the students. Of the 4 students that disagreed or strongly disagreed with the usefulness of any tool they strongly agreed to the usefulness of a minimum of one other learning tool. The impact of the blended learning model to meet diverse student needs continues to be positive with students engaging in most offerings. Students largely prefer pre -clinical scenario based practical and tutorial sessions where 'real-world’ situations are discussed.

Reforming technology company incentive programs for achieving knowledge-based economic development:a Brazil-Australia comparative study

This doctoral thesis aims to demonstrate the importance of incentives to technology-based firms as a strategy to promote knowledge-based economic development (KBED). To remain competitive, technology-based firms must innovate and seek new markets; therefore, this study aims to propose an incentive model to technology-based firms as a strategy to promote knowledge-based urban development, according to framework described by Yigitcanlar (2011). This is an exploratory and descriptive research with a qualitative approach. Surveys were carried out with national trade associations that represented technology-based firms both in Brazil and Australia. After analysing the surveys, structured interviews were conducted with government representatives, trade associations and businessmen who had used financial support by the federal government. When comparing both countries, the study found the importance of direct incentives through tax incentives, for it is a less bureaucratic, quicker and more direct process for firms. We suggest to include the terms incentives in the framework of knowledge-based urban development, as one of the pillars that contribute to knowledge-based economic development.

Automatic post-adoptive information technology use: The role of innovativeness goal

The business value of information technology (IT) is realized through the continuous use of IT subsequent to users’ adoption. Understanding post-adoptive IT usage is useful in realizing potential IT business value. Most previous research on post-adoptive IT usage, however, dismisses the unintentional and unconscious aspects of usage behavior. This paper advances understanding of the unintentional, unconscious, and thereby automatic usage of IT features during the post-adoptive stage. Drawing from Social Psychology literature, we argue human behaviors can be triggered by environmental cues and directed by the person’s mental goals, thereby operating without a person’s consciousness and intentional will. On this basis, we theorize the role of a user’s innovativeness goal, as the desired state of an act to innovate, in directing the user’s unintentional, unconscious, and automatic post-adoptive IT feature usage behavior. To test the hypothesized mechanisms, a human experiment employing a priming technique, is described.