CURRICULUM DELIVERY & TECHNOLOGY’S ROLE
Our unique approach
Oceania University of Medicine blends traditional face to face learning, online curriculum materials, and real-time interactive virtual classrooms, to deliver its curriculum. The delivery methods and curriculum content are constantly monitored by medical scholars from Australia, North America and Samoa. Moodle and Blackboard Collaborate applications are used to deliver the curriculum, and the Proctortrack software monitors all testing.
The Virtual Classroom
Zoom is a highly regarded educational software package that provides real-time online learning and student-teacher interaction in a live classroom environment. The software is specifically suited to academic institutions that incorporate distance-learning education into their curricula.
The Zoom classroom students may “raise their hands” to ask questions, answer instructor questions using a polling system, take notes, and carry on a group discussion much like a telephone conference call. Zoom provides an app for mobile devices (iOS and Andriod) to participate in live sessions and to replay recordings. All recordings of Zoom sessions may also be viewed on a full computer operating system (Windows or Mac).
Moodle: OUM’s Learning Management System
The school’s primary curriculum delivery vehicle is an established web-based education software/course content program called Moodle (www.moodle.org). OUM has tailored Moodle to maximize efficiency and function as a teaching tool, while remaining user-friendly for students.
EXAM PROCTORING AT OUM
Proctortrack is the software that monitors all testing at OUM. This downloadable software utilizes a test taker’s existing computer hardware, including webcam, speaker, and microphone to provide a secure test-taking environment from any location. Video and audio recording, test taker authentication, and blocking access to browsers during test taking preserve exam integrity.
Online Textbooks
OUM uses Clinical Key for its online textbooks. Clinical Key provides online access to textbooks, journals, practice guidelines, and multimedia. More than just an online repository of books, Clinical Key is also a comprehensive searchable knowledge base suitable for practicing doctors and clinicians as well as medical students at every level.
Technology Requirements for Students
The University requires that students have access to a computer that has high-speed Internet connectivity, is reliable, functioning, free from viruses, and is Java-enabled. Students should always have a back-up plan in case their computer experiences problems and/or is no longer in working order.
The following are requirements for students’ computers:
Broadband internet connection with an upload speed of 200 kbps or more
Running the latest version of Java 8
For Mac, running the latest version of Flash and QuickTime
Webcam, microphone and speakers
The following are recommendations for students’ computers:
Less than two years old
PC: Windows Vista 7, 8 or 10, with at least 4GB RAM
For Mac, OSX 10.12 or later, with at least 4GB RAM
Running the latest version of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari web browsers
An up-to-date anti-virus program