Author: Cheryl Lynn Goliath

Publisher:

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 230

ISBN-13:

"Professional societies in the field of medicine have recommended that the traditional model for lifelong medical learning, which had previously focused on attendance at weeklong didactic continuing medical education (CME) courses, should be replaced by individualized study. Self-directed and practice-linked learning are well accepted in principle, but techniques that enhance their execution have not been well described as a means of obtaining CME. While there is considerable innovation underway in undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education; the ultimate goal of these initiatives is to develop an electronic infrastructure that would gather experiences, outcomes and evidence of competencies appropriate to the education, practice level and daily activities of individual physicians; compile such data in relation to learning expectations and performance of other comparable learners; and present it to the individual to stimulate and guide self-assessment and self-improvement. This study examined the impact of implementing an e-portfolio system within an Internal Medicine physician practice as a means of developing a process of life-long learning and professional development for the participants. Literature describing the diffusion of innovation theory was first articulated by Rogers (1962) and for four decades this theory has played a major role in the adoption of technology. Using case study research methodology, one main research question and two sub questions were examined; How does the diffusion of an electronic educational portfolio assist physicians in the critical assessment of their professional development and why?, (1) What factors influence the adoption of technology for the purposes of self-directed learning and why?, and (2) What is the efficacy of e-portfolios as an educational strategy to assist the physicians in the development of a life-long learning plan and why? A single case study comprised of nine physicians was used to examine the factors involved when the diffusion of an e-portfolio was introduced. The participants were studied using interviews, the Stages of Concern (SoCQ) and the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) questionnaires, four-week trial period of I-Webfolio and field notes based upon observations during the study. The results were analyzed to identify patterns or themes that appeared. One such pattern emerged, in that; all entries in the e-portfolio were almost exclusively in the Medical Knowledge component. A theme that became apparent was that none of the physicians in the study have developed a self-directed learning plan. The results of this study suggested that adoption of technology is multifactoral and there was no consistent individual profile that predicted optimal adoption of the innovation; however, increased scores on the SDLRS would indicate that the diffusion of I-Webfolio was effective in improving the self-directed learning of the participants."--Abstract.