A web-based tool for teaching pharmacy practice competency.
OBJECTIVE
To implement and assess the effectiveness of the Strathclyde Computerized Randomized Interactive Prescription Tutor (SCRIPT) in teaching a competency-based undergraduate pharmacy course.


METHODS
Data on students' access to SCRIPT, collected by quantitative electronic data capture, were analyzed to determine student usage patterns and correlations between usage and grades in class assessments. Data on students' perceptions were collected by electronic questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Teaching staff members also were interviewed.


RESULTS
Two hundred forty-three students accessed SCRIPT a median of 23 times each. Students accessed SCRIPT predominantly at times outside normal teaching hours and tended to access the tool more often in the 48 hours preceding class assessments. Feedback from students indicated overall satisfaction with the tool to compliment the timetabled teaching sessions but highlighted that more specific feedback on the examples was required. All staff comments were positive.


CONCLUSIONS
Students and teaching staff members valued SCRIPT as a tool to compliment teaching of the competency-based pharmacy practice classes in the MPharm degree. Future developments of SCRIPT will include expanded feedback for students, the capability to link the release of each SCRIPT exercise with the date the content is taught in class, and additional tools to facilitate "just in time" teaching.
Zlotos
Leon
L
The Co-operative Pharmacy, Rochdale, England.
Kayne
Lee
L
Thompson
Ian
I
Kane
Kathleen A
KA
Boyter
Anne
A
D002983:Clinical Competence; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D018961:Educational Technology / Q000379:methods; D005178:Faculty; D005246:Feedback; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D010465:Perception; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012984:Software; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D055553:Prescription Drugs