A mechanism for using personal computer spreadsheet software to generate unique laboratory and problem assignments in optics for each student and provide corresponding solutions that can be checked quickly is described. The method minimizes some students' tendency to inspect others' solutions without solving problems themselves. Another…

Attempts to dispel rumors concerning contact lenses and tries to supply prudent-use practices for allowing contact lenses in industry and laboratories. Discusses federal regulations that impact the use of contact lenses in industry, policy statements from medical organizations on use of contact lenses in industrial environments, and the…

Considerations to be made in designing an optometry curriculum for treating patients with eye diseases are reviewed, including the scope of practice and specific areas of instruction in the biomedical, basic vision, and clinical vision sciences. (MSE)

Optometry educators can be assisted in making complex concepts understandable to students by using rhetorical devices such as metaphors, similes, analogies, parables, and allegories. As an example, the difficulties in communicating everyday but complex clinical concepts regarding inflammatory disorders are discussed and use of rhetorical devices…

Six ways of organizing optometry students' experience in the management of ocular disease are outlined and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. (MSE)

The use of standardized course syllabi and behavioral objectives requires the commitment and acceptance of faculty and administrators, but it can also help schools of optometry establish standards for evaluating students and improving instructional quality. Classroom, laboratory, and clinical instruction all lend themselves to writing clear…

An outline for a professional development and administration course in an optometry curriculum model is provided. It is designed to develop organizational, communicative, and management skills so the optometrist can become successful in the development and administration of a professional practice. Legal and professional development bibliographies…

Mind mapping, which challenges the right side of the brain, is recommended as a technique for designing classroom work and stimulating more effective and efficient comprehension. (MSE)

The Perfect Eye model simplifies solutions to a wide variety of optometry instructional problems by facilitating student understanding of the interaction among lenses, objects, accommodation, and ametropia. The model is based on the premise that inside every eye is a perfect (emmetropic) eye, and that the physiological eye is a combination of the…

Aspects of laboratory preparation necessary for undergraduate or graduate optometric training in the use of therapeutic drugs are discussed, including glaucoma therapy, anterior segment techniques, posterior segment, and systemic procedures. (MSE)

A model for a geriatric optometry curriculum that defines key content areas and addresses the values essential for effective practice and basic therapeutic modalities used in treatment regimens with older adults is outlined. (MSE)

Important aspects of instructional design are outlined for optometry teachers, including steps in the instructional design process, writing specific behavioral objectives, and determining the appropriate setting, instructional dimensions (teacher role, level of student participation, and relevance to students' future responsibilities), and…

Describes development and design of the Comprehensive Clinical Performance Grid for Student Evaluation, created to address concerns about what constitutes a competent practitioner and to provide a useful and consistent student-evaluation tool for clinical optometric education. Development challenges are also discussed, including staff training and…

Factors in the classroom that complement a well-designed optometry curriculum are discussed, including elements of the student-teacher relationship and the classroom environment, and guidelines are provided for evaluating the outcomes of instruction. (MSE)

These task lists contain employability skills and tasks for the following health occupations: radiologic aide, activity aide, physical therapy aide, and optometric assistant. The duties and tasks found in these lists form the basis of instructional content for secondary, postsecondary, and adult occupational training programs. Employability skills…