Learning Prescriptions

What's a Learning Prescription?

Learning Prescriptions are a tool that we use all the time but probably in a less technical or formal manner. For example, an interesting clinical question arises in the course of discussing a patient. You send the student off to find out more about the topic, with the intention of further discussion based on this later in the week.

Why not just use paper?

If you are anything like me, the following week, if you remember at all, it tends to be "Weren't we going to discuss something this week about ...?" - the diligent student instantly produces the results of her lit search and you can then discuss the topic...but the less diligent student, who really is in more need of such discussion, usually has forgotten as well - another opportunity lost. This tool can be set to record the topic with a minimum of keystrokes, and then will remind you at a predetermined later interval. The student's data can be recorded in its database for later evaluation and for future reference in the case of really excellent findings.

What if the student has a Palm?

Does this tool only work on PocketPCs? No, this tool is cross-platform - Learning Prescriptions can be beamed from PocketPC to Palm devices and back again. There are some limitations to this however: on the PocketPC, the Learning Prescriptions are incorporated into the Task list - Task items can have reminders set; on Palm devices, items on the ToDo list cannot have a reminder assigned to them. We are working on this issue in a future version.

How to use LrnRx

These are the basic steps to using the Learning Prescriptions application:

1. Create a new item - this can be done by either teacher or learner.
2. Assign expected completion date and set Reminder if needed.
3. Beam the new item to the other person.
4. Learner goes off to research item.
5. Learner makes notes on findings within the Student Notes section.
6. On agreed date, LrnRx triggers a Reminder for both parties.
7. Learner beams item, with notes, back to teacher.
8. Teacher evaluates what has been learned.

Click here for a more detailed run-through of this process.

Feedback & Suggestions

We have been working on the LrnRx application for a while, trying to sort out some interdevice communications issues. Because of this, we are planning a rewrite of LrnRx - this is your opportunity to make suggestions, comments and enhancement requests.

Click here to use the feedback form.

Future Directions

In its next iteration, LrnRx will be web-enabled, allowing users to capture and insert citations, web references and links to other electronic information resources, directly into the Student Notes of a Learning Prescription. Such notes will become part of the pool of resources for future learners, as these Learning Prescriptions are shared between users.

Again we would be happy to hear of requests or suggestions for future enhancements.

Page last modified on October 31, 2005