On-line, individualized, and interactive pharmacokinetic scenarios with immediate grading and feedback and potential for use by multiple instructors

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education,  Fall 1999  by Mehvar, Reza

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On-Line, Individualized, and Interactive Pharmacokinetic Scenarios with Immediate Grading and Feedback and Potential for Use by Multiple Instructors1

On-line (web-based) pharmacokinetic modules were developed for 25 topics in basic and clinical pharmacokinetics. The modules consist of spreadsheet files, relational databases, and dynamic web. Instructors use a web browser to set up their class list, set/edit preferences (e.g. due date) for each module, and create on-line and e-mail reports of their students' works. Students use a web browser to create an individualized assignment (scenarios without solutions) and unlimited practice problems (scenarios with solutions and graphs) and to submit their answers and receive immediate feedback. A test of the effect of innovation on students' learning in a basic pharmacokinetics course indicated that the innovation caused a significant improvement in learning (~10 percent), compared with traditional use of assignments in a paper format. Additionally, students' evaluations of the innovation were extremely positive. The innovation was also successfully used by instructors and students in two other sites. The innovation may be used as a too) in active learning strategies in pharmacokinetics courses, without a significant time burden for the instructor.

PROLOGUE

Recent advances in technology are significantly influencing the way pharmacy faculty teach courses such as pharmacokinetics. Currently, several stand-alone (not web-based) simulation programs are available(1-7) which allow users to change a kinetic parameter and/or dosage regimen data and observe the simulated plasma and/or urine concentration (or amount)-time data. Additionally, on-line (web-based) versions of the simulation programs have started to appear(8,9). These simulation programs are instrumental for understanding the concepts in kinetics. However. for the estimation of pharmacokinetic parameters and design of dosage regimens, instructors usually use the limited examples in the few available textbooks and/or develop their own set of problems and assignments which need to be graded manually. This is because, except for one spreadsheet-based program(10), there are no computer programs available to generate and grade pharmacokinetics assignments. The spreadsheet-based program(10) also has its own shortcomings including security problems, lag time for grading, requirement for a specific version of the spreadsheet program, access for off-campus students, and difficulty in transferability to other institutions (described in more detail in the next sections). Therefore, the major goal of this project was to develop a web-based pharmacokinetic program that would allow online generation and submission of individualized assignments with immediate feedback, which can be used by instructors of pharmacokinetics worldwide.

OUTCOMES COVERED BY THE INNOVATION

The desired outcomes of most basic pharmacokinetics course are:

1. prediction of the effects of alterations in the kinetic parameters and/or the dosage regimen data on the plasma and/or urine concentration-time data;

2. estimation of pharmacokinetic parameters from plasma and/or urine concentration-time data; and

3. design of dosage regimens based on the available kinetic parameters.

Although the program covers most concepts in basic kinetics (Outcome 1), its major focus is on the estimation of pharmacokinctic parameters (Outcome 2) and design of dosage regimens (Outcome 3).

DESCRIPTION OF THE TEACHING INNOVATION

General Description of the Course

Basic Pharmacokinetics is a required three-credit hour course which is offered to the fourth year students in the fiveyear BS program. Additionally, a modified version of the course will be taught starting next year in the entry-level PharmD program. The course is offered during the Fall semester with an enrollment of 107 students in the Fall of 1998. Learning is achieved in this course using a quasi problembased, outcome-driven strategy(11) which combines some aspects of traditional instruction (large class size) with problem-based (limited lecturing) learning.

Previous Work and Its Limitations

Recently, the author developed(10) computer-assisted assignments and practice problems for twelve pharmacokinetic topics using the spreadsheet program Excel". After installation of some macros on the user computer, these programs would allow generation of practice problems and assignments by random alterations of kinetic parameters and/or dosage regimen data within a preset range, A second set of macros on the instructor's computer would allow automatic grading of the submitted assignments in a batch. After four semesters of using these programs in large classes at Drake University College of Pharmacy, the following shortcomings were noticed:

1. Security: Because students are in possession of the spreadsheet files which contain both the scenarios/questions (unbidden) and answers (hidden), the security may be compromised.

2. Excel(R) Requirement and Versions: In order for students to use these files, they need to have access to computers which have a version of the Excel" program compatible with the version used in the creation of the files.