Inside this Issue
Interview with Vic Divecha, eLearning Specialist
What do you do as an eLearning Specialist at SPH?
I look after students' needs for electronic learning content. This includes lecture presentations synchronized with lecture videos, facilitating online exams and helping students make the best of these resources. I also manage the
video lab, which is SPH's very own environment for producing videos. I co-ordinate the post-production of classroom videos and subsequent production of CD-ROMs & streaming media via the internet. I oversee assignment of metadata to these online materials so that they are searchable. Finally, I identify where new content should be developed to meet the learning needs of students.
What projects are you currently working on?
I am primarily working on supporting the HMP Executive Education Master's Program, which includes eLearning objects created by faculty from many SPH departments: Health Management and Policy, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences. We have produced about 1,000 CD-ROMS for the HMP Executive Education Cohort 18, and that content is also available online. Next year we are planning to support the EHS Executive Education Master's Program. To view sample content and completed course projects, please visit sitemaker.umich.edu/tour.
Another project is the HBHE Prospective Student's Web Site. This entails showcasing how HBHE programs have played a significant part in the careers of its alumni. The medium we are experimenting with is short narratives with photomontages, less than two minutes, to keep the prospective students engaged.
I am working on the Rich Media Library. It is envisioned as a searchable digital library of educational objects which will be a resource for reusable educational content from the field of public health. We are ingesting all kinds of learning objects with metadata into the Rich Media Library.
What can you do with the wide-array of software and equipment in the lab?
We can produce a broad spectrum of learning objects. Content can range from simple videos to videos synchronized with PowerPoint slides or animations. Working with a subject matter expert, who can be a faculty member or a designated graduate student instructor, we add metadata to make the content accessible via the rich media database or CTools. We are a growing service and love creating solutions to digital content related problems. We can also process and make available videos recorded on the SMART Board.
What is your background?
I hold a Masters degree in Industrial & Operations Engineering from UM's College of Engineering. My study areas included usability, cognitive ergonomics, engineering aesthetics, universal design, and accessibility. My first real job as a high-school student was that of a graphics designer for a video post-production studio, and I have been fascinated by this field ever since.
What makes a successful learning module/online learning experience?
A great learning module will never let the learner lose track of what is being taught. We ensure this by limiting individual video modules to less than 20 minutes. It will accommodate the attention spans of a majority of audiences. The ability to review the content if needed is essential. A good module will make relevant supporting materials available alongside the video (e.g. URLs or publications referred to by the instructor in the video). Finally if the learning experience is validated through a quick follow-up quiz, it gives a learner a well-rounded and satisfying experience.
What do you see as the future of eLearning at SPH?
The future of eLearning at SPH is very exciting. Students, faculty, and staff are becoming more aware about how technologies such as CTools, Samigo, Centra, Camtasia, Captivate can move their work online and make it easier to share and access. In the future, I see students being able to work at far-flung field assignments and take online exams for their SPH courses. I see researchers at SPH videoconferencing with their colleagues on other continents and sharing their findings with an online audience. Similarly, we would be able to virtually 'meet' with subject matter experts worldwide.
If you are interested in learning more, please contact sph.informatics@umich.edu.
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