Each month a faculty member, nominated by their dean, is recognized for their efforts to integrate innovative technology into their classroom. March’s digital faculty member of the month is Darla Eastman, associate professor of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Read an interview with Darla below:

Which course do you use this technology in? Phar 191: Pharmacotherapeutics II

What type of technology do you use? This past semester we incorporated electronic examinations that were administered via Blackboard using Respondus Lockdown Browser. 

In what context do you use this technology? This past semester we utilized this technology for all five exams in the course. In the future, we are planning to use it for weekly quizzes as well. 

How does this type of technology align with your teaching pedagogy? One of our key goals in teaching pharmacy students is to make sure they are prepared as professionals. Upon graduation, doctor of pharmacy students must complete two national board exams, which are both administered electronically. Another key advantage was the opportunity to provide students with immediate feedback on their performance as they were able to review the rationale for each question in a setting that was more private and less stressful.

Where did you get the inspiration to make a change? CPHS adopted a schedule to move to electronic exams and my course was one of the first to change. The College wanted to make sure students are prepared for future, high-stakes exams. Also, we want to make sure CPHS is utilizing technology effectively and keeping pace with digital advancements. Now, having used electronic testing for a semester, I can see additional potential that may benefit faculty and students in the future. 

How long did it take for you to implement this technology? I spent a lot of time in the months leading up to the semester learning about the technology and then figuring out how to best implement it. I ran “tests” on my own computer so that I could learn the system and know how it would work for students and faculty. 

Did Drake ITS assist you in implementing this technology? Karly Good has been instrumental in helping with the implementation of electronic testing and helped me work through a variety of questions and scenarios. Anthony Squire attended the first few minutes of each examination period to assure students’ technology was working correctly and was quickly able to resolve any issues. I am so grateful to both Karly and Anthony for all the support they have provided!

Are you interested in trying out new technology in your classroom? Want help from ITS? Schedule a technology adoption consultation.

Jon Hurdelbrink, CPHS, and Carla Herling, ITS