Presentation - University of Utah - School of Medicine

Technology Collaboration with KNUST,
A Medical School in Ghana, West Africa
David A. Morton, Ph.D.
University of Utah School of Medicine
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Ghana - 2005
Devon Hale, M.D. Steven Alder, Ph.D.

Ghana - 2005
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

Chrissie Abaidoo, Ph.D.
Anatomy Department Chair - KNUST

Chrissie Abaidoo, Ph.D.
Anatomy Department Chair - KNUST

Chrissie Abaidoo, Ph.D.
Anatomy Department Chair - KNUST

Microscope Lab

Cadaver Lab

Computer Lab

KNUST SOM Recap
British system of medical school
144 students each year
1.5 anatomists
No internet
No intranet
New computers
Interested in collaboration

January 2006
Suzanne S. Stensaas, Ph.D.

144 students
Small Groups: 10 students each
January 2006
Osteology
Neuroanatomy

January 2006
Lecture Hall

January 2006
Could technology help reduce the teaching overload? Student –Teacher contact hours?
What if you could use computer tutorial to help with small groups?
We demonstrated some of our computer assisted instructional tools (CAI).
Demo DIGANAT, Histo Tutorial, Hyperbrain, etc…

If you feed a man a fish …
2. 3.
1.

Conduct Needs Assessment
1. Are there computers to use?
2. Do faculty want computers?
January - 2007
3. Do the students want computers?
K. Bo Foreman, Ph.D.
Install CAI programs

1. Are there computers to use?
?
What about internet and/or intranet?

2. Do faculty want computers?
Dr. Abaidoo
Charles Donkor

3. Do students want computers?

3. Do students want computers?
IRB approved needs
assessment questionnaire

3. Do students want computers?
n=225
First years = 151
Fourth years = 67
Residents = 7
Male = 130 (57.8%)
Female = 95 (42.2%)
Under 20 = 109 (48.4%)
Female = 95 (42.2%)

Type of Computers Used
Desktop (PC/Mac):
Laptop (PC/Mac):
Cellular phone:
57%
37%
76%
PDA
iPod
2.3%
0.3%
n=225

Percent of time using various
Computer Systems
Personal system: 54.2%
University system: 3.6%
Library system: 2.6%
Other: 39.6%
n=225

Internet Activity
Internet access: 88.8% (n=225)
URL: 93.4% (n=200)
Browser: 74.2 % (n=200)
Download: 61.8% (n=200)
Plug-ins: 38.3% (n=200)

Computer Assisted Instructional
Material (CAI)
Prefer CAI verses paper: 71.6%
Portable: 89.8%
Desktop: 45.3%
n=225

Installed our UofU CAI tools
Digital Dissector
Muscle tutorial
Cranial nerve tutorial
Histology tutorial
Neuro dissector
Hyperbrain
Neurologic exam

Trained students and faculty on using the CAI tools

2007-2009
Students installed CAI tools on to their own computers
CAI tools were incorporated into regular routine
Other Departments (i.e., ophto, phys) requested CAI tools
KATH computers now have CAI tools installed

Dr. Foreman installed our CAI
programs on computers for
nursing training programs:
• 37 locations throughout Ghana
(338 computers)
• A hard copy was left at each
location (DVD)
July 2008

Now anyone in Ghana can make a CAI tool.

Chrissie Abaidoo, Ph.D.
Teaches 35+ hours per week in addition
to her administrative responsibilities.
CAI tools have helped reduce student
contact hours
She has hired another student to add
histo images to tutorial
We are working on publishing a paper on
osteological findings
Goal to have Dr. Abaidoo to attend AAA
meeting in USA

Dental Program KATH
University of Ghana
Ghana …
Hainan, Med College

Future work
Joint meeting between AAA and WAAA
Work with Anatomy Ph.D. program
Educational training for anatomists in Ghana
China and India
Neuroanatomy course

Acknowledgements
• Tsiri Agbenyega, Ph.D.
• Chrissie Abaidoo, Ph.D.
• K. Bo Foreman, P.T., Ph.D.
• Suzanne Stensaas, Ph.D.
• Steven Alder, Ph.D.
• DeVon Hale, M.D.

Thank-you