EMT-B online classes in Atlanta

I consider online course a great opportunity. Many colleges that offer EMT-B are very far from my area and i wouldnt dare to go straight to EMT-i ether. As far as im conserned the programm they offer is "hybryd" and testing, handson and clinical would be done in person. nobody said, that they will teach you to be "virtual EMT", NO!
And i do wish i had such luxury as online instructions and lectures in a college i went to, from where i came from. cause most of the time i had to ride a train, bus and walk for 30min in a snowstorm, just to get to my class room with no heating, just to end up too bummed out from the lack of sleep to write down most of the lecture. So i had to stay extra 2 hours in library with the books, doing my own reasearch of the days subgect.
Im terrified to start my education all over again and if its online, so what, let it be. Not a reason to wait another year.
P.S. sorry, if i got too emotional...-_-
 
I'm currently taking an online paramedic program through a college here. The online bit works like this: you get your weekly assignments via a secure website with disucssion board. A typical week's assignment consists of 6-10 questions regarding whatever topic is at-hand, plus 3-4 discussion topics. Lab is weekly, and in it, they go over skills, a bit of the didactic. The college also has a "regular" program, and we stay on-track with them throughout the semester. The same material is covered. Students in either program are permitted to attend the other program's lab sessions. Come test/clinical time, the online class traditionally scores slightly higher.

In-field, post-graduation performance is indistinguishable.


Later!

--Coop
 
A litte reading about Cyber-Education:

http://www.ems1.com/Columnists/kris-kaull/articles/290566-Cyber-Education-Can-It-Happen

Cyber-Education. Can It Happen?

By Kris Kaull

Using technology to change the way we learn.

Want to go to paramedic school? Thinking about finishing that fire science degree? Want to learn the latest response guidelines regarding bio-terrorism but can’t find a local class? Can distance education be the answer? This article explores the strengths and limitations of distance learning.

Definition of Distance Education
As in any field, distance education has its own unique language.

It seems as though each authority on distance education defines the term in his or her own way, which can be quite confusing. However, there is an underlying theme – distance education is planned learning where the student is separated by time and/or distance from the instructor. Recently, many definitions also acknowledge that distance education involves the use of some kind of telecommunication technology.
Click to expand...


Summary
Distance education is a viable option for public safety professionals and volunteers. Although we can learn equally well through either classroom or distance methods, they are not the same. Those who create such offerings generally rely on a variety of telecommunication technologies to connect students with instructors. Each method has its particular strengths and weaknesses, which designers, instructors and students must keep in mind for distance education.
Click to expand...

More at:
http://www.ems1.com/Columnists/kris-kaull/articles/290566-Cyber-Education-Can-It-Happen
 
My school uses an online course as a supplement, an extra, not as a sole educational tool. It's fantastic. It reinforces what has been learned in class. Completely online EMT or Medic school? How would they do the practical portion?
 
For us, Labs, and practical exams, etc., are, of course, done in-person. There's no other real way to do it.


Later!

--Coop
 
Linuss said:
My idea? Allow lectures to be done online, but all test and quizzes done in person. Then require clinicals to be schedules like normal.

If they pass the course, get the 1500+ clinical hours, get 80%+ on each on-campus test, and pass the NREMT, then honestly, what's the big deal? But like I said... TEST them like normal.

They have the same exact education, just in a different manner. There isn't a single darn book-related thing that you can learn in a class but not online.
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But there's a couple of MAJOR drawbacks with this plan, which are inherant in any online courses

First of all, you can't get your questions answered in a way that ensures you learn. An experienced, and good, instructor knows the material well enough to present it to you in a slightly different way if needed to facilitate you learning the material. With an online course, you're stuck learning it the exact way the course designer chose.

Secondly, since there is no classroom interaction, you are unable to learn from another person's questions and answers. How many times have you been in a class and learned something from another student asking a question?
 
ffemt8978 said:
Secondly, since there is no classroom interaction, you are unable to learn from another person's questions and answers. How many times have you been in a class and learned something from another student asking a question?
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Some college departments have forums similar to this one which allows online discussion with the instructors joining in. The questions and info can then be viewed at anytime.
 
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ffemt8978 said:
How many times have you been in a class and learned something from another student asking a question?
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Never... I know it ALL!



But in all seriousness, I agree with your points to an extent-- some people simply don't need that kind of feedback to learn. It should be up to the person to decide how they wanted to spend money / learn. If they pass the NREMT, then they obviously are "competent" in the majority of it.
 
ffemt8978 said:
First of all, you can't get your questions answered in a way that ensures you learn. An experienced, and good, instructor knows the material well enough to present it to you in a slightly different way if needed to facilitate you learning the material. With an online course, you're stuck learning it the exact way the course designer chose.
Click to expand...

This was, admittedly, a concern of mine as well when I was first considering the virtual program. However, having open communication with instructors is key to overcoming this. I've sent a lot of emails and text messages back and forth with my instructors. I don't think I'd have my instructor available at eleven at night to answer yet another one of my questions if I were taking a regular class.


ffemt8978 said:
Secondly, since there is no classroom interaction, you are unable to learn from another person's questions and answers. How many times have you been in a class and learned something from another student asking a question?
Click to expand...

Actually, there is student interaction--via the class message board--in which the instructors participate as well. Additionally, we have each other's personal emails/phone numbers, etc. So... it does happen. Just not in the way you may think. Questions are posted. Topics discussed. Also, there's Real Live Lab, where there is face-to-face interaction as well.

Here is an example of how they do this:

(From my assignment from last week)
"I have emailed a respiratory disorder to each of you. Using your assigned disorder, create a patient scenario similar to the scenarios you have seen in lab. Post the scenario to the discussion board. Be sure to provide details about your patient’s condition, including vital signs. You may also include information regarding the pathophysiology of your patient’s disorder; however do not state the identity of the disorder.
After you have posted your scenario, respond to one of your classmate’s posts. First identify the disorder you are treating. Then provide details about how you would manage the patient’s condition."

Mine was spontaneous pneumo. It led to a fourteen-post thread between myself, the other student answering my scenario, and one of the instructors.


It comes down to this: clearly, online courses are not for everyone. But then again, neither is a traditional classroom. As long as you learn what needs be learned, the manner in which you do so is really a non-issue.

Consider: because the student --at least in my program-- is encouraged (damned-near required) to perform a lot of self-study and independent research, much of that will be retained, because it was knowledge sought out... not doled out from a lecture podium.



Later!

--Coop
 
Honestly there is no reason the book part of any education could not be handled online. In fact in a quality system students would have to work harder and therefore retain more as well as probably even have a deeper understanding.

There is no real completely online course as skills require human contact.
 
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