Using interactive digital images of products to teach pharmaceutics.
OBJECTIVE
To implement interactive digital images of drug products and online quizzes in a pharmaceutics course to teach students where to look on product labels for information and how to evaluate ingredients of various dosage forms, and to reinforce pharmaceutical calculations with practical problems.


METHODS
Interactive digital images of drug products and a database of quiz questions pertaining to the products were created and an interactive online platform was designed. The interactive digital images were incorporated in pharmaceutics lectures as examples of dosage forms studied and calculations taught. The online quizzes were administered to first-professional year pharmacy students in fall 2004 and fall 2005.


RESULTS
The competency outcome data illustrates that the product-based online quizzes aided students in meeting the desired learning objectives. Modifications to increase ease of use resulted in higher student success rates in the second year of implementation. Student and faculty evaluations of the application were largely positive.


CONCLUSIONS
The development of interactive digital images and product-based online quizzes successfully adapted a traditional learning aid into a viable electronic resource for pharmacy education.
Fox
Laura Moore
LM
South Carolina College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. LFox@cop.sc.edu
Pham
Khang H
KH
Dollar
Michael
M
D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D004304:Dosage Forms; D004348:Drug Labeling; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D010781:Photography; D013022:South Carolina; D013339:Students, Pharmacy; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods
D004304:Dosage Forms