Optometric Education

ASCOTECH

Volume 25, Number 1
Fall 1999

Technology Touchstone

William M. Dell, O.D., M.P.H.

The celebration of the new millenium is but a few months away. While one thousand years of history have elapsed, there have only been a few developments in that period of time that have produced profound change in the nature and systems of education and learning. One such development was the invention of movable type by Johann Gutenberg in the 15th century. It enabled the rapid and relatively inexpensive publication of books and manuscripts, which could then be disseminated throughout Europe, accelerating the Renaissance in the process.

Today we are encountering another such "Gutenberg inflection point"in which the rapid developments in technology and the advent of the Internet are dramatically changing our access to information and the ability and means of communication. To say that the impact on the academy may be significant is to grossly understate the potential impact. Indeed, there are a number of proponents who maintain that the bricks and mortar of what constitutes today's college or university may well disappear by the middle of the next century. While that might be a radical concept, change, as a consequence of technology, is certainly afoot.

As optometric educators, it is obvious that we need to keep abreast of these technological changes and how they impact our institution and how we teach, deliver and model patient care. This column in Optometric Education is dedicated to that task. My erstwhile colleague, Dominick Maino, OD, M.Ed., professor, Illinois College of Optometry, and I will attempt to inform you and, just as importantly, stimulate your own interest in the various areas of technology that we will address. The column will present three to five abstracts on a particular subject matter (e.g. distance education; telemedicine; asynchronous learning; computer laboratories; educational assessment, etc.) and will be preceded by an introduction and followed by a concluding summary. Dr. Maino and I will alternate issues as lead columnist but we will collaborate on each issue.

We hope that the column will be interactive and that you, as colleagues, will be stimulated enough to provide your own ideas and concepts for future columns and your thoughts and commentary on those already presented. Indeed a listing of educational Webster of particular interest on the subject matter at hand might be an additional part of what is presented and we might ask for your contribution in that regard.

ASCO has recently established a special interest group (SIG) in optometric informatics that is dedicated to advancing technology issues in optometric education, research, and patient care. But that's the subject, perhaps, for a future column! You tell us!! Your feedback and issues and insights are more than welcomed. We hope that you will find this column meaningful and enjoyable.

Contact with Your Ideas:
Dr. William M. Dell Bdell@pco.edu
Or, Dr. Dominick Maino Dmaino@eyecare.ico.edu