Distributed content development

Whilst e-learning content is being contributed to the IVIMEDS LOR from partner schools a wealth of new content is being developed across the partnership.  A distributed model of content development has been adopted which sees the IVIMEDS core development team working closely with subject experts in partner schools.  Individual schools are taking the lead in different subject areas including body systems and cross cutting themes. 

Current areas of development include

• Cardiovascular system – led by the Miller School of Medicine at  the University of Miami, the University of Florida Medical School and the University of Dundee Medical School
• Dermatology and ethics – led by the University of Queensland School of Medicine
• Endocrine system – led by the University of Birmingham Medical School
• Gastrointestinal system – led by Ben Gurion Faculty of Health Sciences
• Geriatric medicine – led by Brown University Medical School
• Musculoskeletal system – led by Hull York Medical School
• Nervous system – led by the University of Southampton Medical School
• Respiratory system – led by King’s College London School of Medicine

The subject experts in the lead schools chair a curriculum working group which includes subject experts from other partner schools.  Each of the working groups led by the lead partner is responsible for the development of the relevant areas of the IVIMEDS map, defining learning outcomes, specifying the learning resources required by students to achieve these outcomes, sourcing and developing appropriate learning resources and quality assurance. 

The IVIMEDS core team develops the instructional design, the learning system architecture and systems, provides content development protocols and templates for the partner schools.  The IVIMEDS Project Manager co-ordinates the interface between the curriculum working groups and the core content development team and the technology platform. 

Multimedia content is being prepared using industry standard tools such as Adobe Dreamweaver® and and Flash®.  SCORM objects are being packaged using open source tools such as RELOAD.

The distributed content development process actively involves partner schools, benefiting from the expertise they can provide, while retaining common standards, efficient deployment and quality assurance.