WWW-based Development of New Curriculum Material in Veterinary Undergraduate Education.

Jim Cummins*
Murdoch University
cummins@central.murdoch.edu.au

The Veterinary undergraduate curriculum at Murdoch University is currently undergoing a radical overhaul, with a significant shift towards reduced formal content and increases in problem-based learning and skills development. In the second semester of 1998 existing courses in Physiology and Anatomy will be replaced by a new course, Form and Function, that will investigate the dynamic integration of structures and functions that promote health and survival in animals of veterinary importance. Focus will be sequentially on nervous and endocrine control, reproduction, embryo development and growth. A significant assessable component of of the course will involve student self-paced projects researching and presenting specific areas of animal adaptation such as flight, particular diets and high-performance exercise.

WWW-based networking using the student local area network is seen as central to many of these developments. The development of the curriculum itself is based on HTML-based working drafts, together with a real-time password-restricted network discussion board developed by Geoff Rehn, using Discus This is used by the staff involved and will ultimately be opened up to students to allow for ongoing discussions of the course and for liaising regarding PBL-based projects. Thus the student computer network is part of the development process as well as being a targeted tool for the learning experience.