title: Establishment of the genetic/genomic competency center for education.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Develop a trans-disciplinary repository of genomics education resources using a Web-based learning management system. The repository maps and organizes genetic-genomic information and materials relevant to educators by healthcare discipline-specific competencies and performance indicators.
  
  
  METHODS
  An interdisciplinary project team was established to guide toolkit repository building and usability testing. The toolkit was built using the X-CREDIT software on the Moodle learning management platform, which includes a mapping matrix and browsing function that captures teaching resources in a searchable database linked to competencies, knowledge areas, performance indicators, learning activities and resources, and outcome assessments. Discipline-specific advisory groups assisted in resource identification, competency mapping, and peer review. The toolkit is multidisciplinary, currently including physician assistants and nurses, and provides a resource crosslink to discipline-specific competencies. All resources have a detailed description, and users may contribute new resources, which are peer reviewed for relevance and accuracy by an editorial board. Alpha and beta testing using online usability surveys that included toolkit exercises helped refine the structure, look, and navigation of the final website.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred thirty faculty-124 nursing and 6 physician assistant faculty-agreed to participate. Of those, 59 users (45.4% response rate) completed the online usability survey. Nearly all users (94.9%) were able to find a competency that was relevant to their topic, and 85.4% were able to locate the relevant performance indicators. The majority (86.5%) felt the model adequately described the relationships between competencies, performance indicators, learning activities-resources, and assessments, and made conceptual sense. Survey respondents reported font color and size made the information difficult to read, windows were not large enough, and the "shopping cart" concept was confusing; all of these areas have been modified for the final toolkit version.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alpha and beta testing of the toolkit revealed that users can successfully obtain educational materials by searching competencies and performance indicators. The platform is accessible on the Internet at http://www.g-2-c-2.org and can be continually updated as new resources become available.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Faculty members need easy access to a wide range of accurate, current resources to facilitate integration of genomics into the curriculum.
authors: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Genetics Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. calzonek@mail.nih.gov
authors: Kathleen A
authors: KA
authors: Calzone
authors: Bonnie
authors: B
authors: Jerome-D'Emilia
authors: Jean
authors: J
authors: Jenkins
authors: Constance
authors: C
authors: Goldgar
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Rackover
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Jackson
authors: Ye
authors: Y
authors: Chen
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Voss
authors: W Gregory
authors: WG
authors: Feero
mesh_terms: D001292:Attitude to Computers; D003162:Competency-Based Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005823:Genetics / Q000193:education*; D023281:Genomics / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface