Students' learning of clinical sonography: use of computer-assisted instruction and practical class.
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The application of information technology to teaching radiology will profoundly change the way learning is mediated to students. In this project, the integration of veterinary medical students' knowledge of sonography was promoted by a computer-assisted instruction program and a subsequent practical class. METHODS: The computer-assisted instruction program emphasized the physical principles of clinical sonography and contained simulations and user-active experiments. In the practical class, the students used an actual sonographic machine for the first time and made images of a tissue-equivalent phantom. Students' responses to questionnaires were analyzed. RESULTS: On completing the overall project, 96% of the students said that they now understood sonographic concepts very or reasonably well, and 98% had become very or moderately interested in clinical sonography. CONCLUSIONS: The teaching and learning initiatives enhanced an integrated approach to learning, stimulated student interest and curiosity, improved understanding of sonographic principles, and contributed to an increased confidence and skill in using sonographic equipment.