OVERVIEW
Problem
Eating disorders will affect between 28-30 million people in the United States and are the second most deadly mental illness, behind opioid addiction. Of the 12,000-16,000 hours of training physicians receive, on average ,they have less than 4 hours of education on eating disorders. 94% of medical residents in one study found their training in eating disorders to be inadequate. The increasing prevalence of eating disorders, mortality rates, and documented lack of knowledge in medical professionals demonstrates necessity for the development of an eating disorder training protocol.
Solution
My solution for this training gap was to develop a self-paced eLearning program focused on 5 instructional objectives.
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Identify the various types of eating disorders defined by the DSM-V.
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Recognize medical symptoms (physical and behavioral) that may present in eating disorder patients.
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Assess medical complications that may result from eating disorders.
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Develop confidence discussing eating disorders with patients and families.
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Reduce negative attitudes and biases through increased understanding of how eating disorders develop and affect patients.
This project was developed as part of the Introduction to Systematic Instructional Design course at The University of Tampa. Due to the limitations of the course only the module for the first instructional goal was developed.
MY PROCESS
As the sole developer on this project I developed this project end-to-end as part of the Introduction to Systematic Instructional Design course. I began this project by researching an educational gap that could be improved using instructional design. From there I identified the target audience and established goals for the overarching project and for the individual module that would be created as part of this course. ​Due to the time constraint this course only required the development of one module for the program we designed. I developed the initial course module, which details the diagnostic criteria for eating disorders in the DSM-V. It is important to note that there are 4 other eating disorders that were not listed in the module. This was due to the assignment instructions which limited the length of the module. If I was to develop this further this module would be modified to incorporate all eating disorders as they hold equal importance in the care and diagnosis of individuals. ​​​​
Storyboard
For this project I used a text-based storyboard. Accuracy of information was the most important aspect in developing this project, therefore I prioritized detailing the information to be included in the module and the scenarios that would be used. Visually I knew how I wanted the project to appear. It was important for me to include individuals with eating disorders of various genders and to highlight aspects of their daily lives instead of having the video setting exist strictly in a medical environment. The text-based storyboard for this project is located in the planning document.
Results
Following the development of this module it was presented for feedback in the course. Specific and detailed feedback was received from classmates and the professor and was overwhelmingly positive. The subject matter was seen as thorough and easily understood and many remarked about the myths that were addressed in the context of the module, including those with no prior knowledge of eating disorders. Feedback on the design referenced the effectiveness of an animated video over alternative methods of delivery and the flow enhanced the instruction.
