Introduction
This text is written by IUSO’s Curriculum Specialist, Dr. Andi Strackeljahn, in coordination with the Executive Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Dr. Rowan Candy, to support the success of OD students in the IU School of Optometry.
Learning in a professional program where a command of the subject is required to be a successful healthcare provider, is very different from your learning experiences in high school and undergraduate coursework where success in one course had little impact on your success in other co-enrolled or future courses. This text has been created to help you navigate learning in this demanding OD program using evidence-based strategies – meaning, the guidance shared here is derived from decades of research on how learning unfolds in both laboratory settings and in real learning spaces. As a living document, this text will be added to in response to student needs and updated as new research findings become available.
Learning Toolkit Organization
At present, this text focuses on learning and preparing for the Applied Basic Science NBEO Part 1 exam. You can use the navigation dropdown in the top left corner under “Contents” to jump to specific chapters, or use the links immediately below:
If you feel stuck in your approach to studying or aren’t satisfied with the outcome of your results, review the study diagnostic at the back of this text.
Check back in fall of 2024 for a section dedicated to learning in IUSO courses.
