How does Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center - Research Animal Resource Center manage those technologies?

Education and Quality Assurance the training department of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC)-Research Animal Resource Center (RARC) (MSKCC-RARC) has taken both a reactive and proactive stance toward the technologies they use for training purposes. MSKCC contracted for an external audit to be conducted suggesting ways each department can improve. For the Research Animal Resource Center this audit suggested they improve the training department by implementing some online training classes. At that time between 2005 and 2006 they reacted to the suggestion by putting additional PowerPoint Presentations online
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However this did not add much improvement to the original design of the training classes. In 2009-2012 the Research Animal Resource Center became more proactive with this suggestion. They started seeking out some eLearning programs that would provide a more interactive online classroom environment for the staff and the investigators using the MSKCC-RARC. Below is a list of the technologies they added due to their recent proactive stance and a description of how these technologies benefit the MSKCC-RARC Training Department.

In 2009 the Research Animal Resource Center started using Camtasia, a screen-recording program, which allows the instructor to record PowerPoints exactly the way a student would view them and as if the PowerPoint was being presented in a training class. This software program also permits the editing of these recordings and allows the instructor to add details such as highlights, call outs, and arrows; along with zooming in or panning out on important segments as needed. This program is used at MSKCC-RARC to produce training videos for the computer, in live sessions, and in a hybrid-learning environment.

SnagIt is also used in the training programs through the Research Animal Resource Center. SnagIt is a screen capture program that allows the instructor to take a picture of the computer screen and turn it in to a jpeg format. With this program instructors can also edit the screen shot by either drawing on or cropping the image. The MSKCC-RARC Training Department has used this program in simulations and demos and has used Snaglt in correlation with other recently obtained software programs such as Lectora.

Lectora is used to promote interactivity with the learners. When used in combination with SnagIt instructors can notify students where to click within the presentation to view additional class material. This enables learners to take control of their learning environment. When used with Camtasia instructors can embed videos in the PowerPoints or modules to accommodate a variety of learning styles. Lectora can also allow tests to be administered at the end of each video, any where within the module, or at the end of the module.

The camcorder is used to take a variety of images throughout the Center to use in the PowerPoint Presentations and the learning modules.