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Home - Knowledge
Center - Health Informatics
COMPUTER AIDED LEARNING
Computer Aided Learning (CAL) is the use of software packages that not only
provide its users with information to learn but tests the users’ knowledge and
give feedback on those tests.1
CAL is useful as it provides the users with an opportunity to learn in
a much more relaxed environment. Users can learn at their pace with little or
no interaction from the staff. The use of multimedia techniques such as videos,
sound and graphic images enhance the learning process.
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There are several packages available; many have been developed by healthcare
organizations for use by their staff, patients or students. Others have been
developed for use by the general public, these are usually available
commercially.
Patient centric Computer Aided Learning has proven to be an effective tool for improving healthcare
knowledge and clinical outcomes.2
CAL systems are being developed in the hope that they would improve
patient care in patients with long term disease states by teaching practical
skills and consolidating on theoretical understanding.3
Another area in which Computer Aided Learning has been successfully applied is in the teaching of medical
students, where it has acted as a stimulus for further learning.4
When properly structured CAL can be as effective as other methods of teaching
and can be used as an adjunct to the traditional methods of teaching or as a
self-instructional tool.5
Fig. 1 Screenshot of the ADAM anatomy teaching software.References
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Degoulet, Practice; Fieschi, Marius. Introduction to clinical
Informatics, Chp 13. Springer 1999
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Lewis, D. Computers in patient education. Comput Inform Nurs.
2003 Mar-Apr;21(2):88-96
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Berridge, E. et al. Computer-aided learning for the education
of patients and family practice professionals in the personal care of diabetes. Comput
Methods Programs Biomed. 2000 Jul;62(3):191-204
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Devitt, P.; Smith, J., R.; Palmer, E. Improved student learning
in ophthalmology with computer-aided instruction. Eye. 2001 Oct;15(Pt
5):635-9
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Rosenberg, H. The effectiveness of computer-aided,
self-instructional prgrams in dental education: a systemmatic review of the
literature. J Dent Educ. 2003 May;67(5):524-32
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