Using technology to accomplish comparability of provision in distributed medical education in Canada: an actor–network theory ethnography

Tummons, J.; Fournier, C.; Kits, O.; Macleod, A.

doi:10.1080/03075079.2017.1290063

Using technology to accomplish comparability of provision in distributed medical education in Canada: an actor–network theory ethnography

Tummons, J.; Fournier, C.; Kits, O.; Macleod, A.

Authors

Professor Jonathan Tummons jonathan.tummons@durham.ac.uk
Professor

C. Fournier

O. Kits

A. Macleod

Abstract

This article is derived from a three-year ethnography of distributed medical education at one Canadian University across two Canadian provinces. It explores the ways in which students and staff work inside the technologically rich teaching environments within which the curriculum is delivered. Drawing on data constructed through observations, interviews and photographs, the article seeks to explain how the key concept of comparability of provision is accomplished. The article concludes that the education received at both campuses is comparable. However, simply to attribute this comparability to the technology itself is to ignore the central role that is played by the staff – academic, administrative and audio-visual. The article concludes by arguing that, notwithstanding the fact that people will always respond to technologies in unanticipated ways, the curriculum within which they are enfolded is sufficiently robust to accommodate such practices whilst at the same time maintaining the quality of the provision.

Citation

Tummons, J., Fournier, C., Kits, O., & Macleod, A. (2018). Using technology to accomplish comparability of provision in distributed medical education in Canada: an actor–network theory ethnography. Studies in Higher Education, 43(11), 1912-1922. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2017.1290063

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Jan 30, 2017
Online Publication Date	Feb 20, 2017
Publication Date	2018
Deposit Date	Feb 13, 2017
Publicly Available Date	Aug 20, 2018
Journal	Studies in Higher Education
Print ISSN	0307-5079
Electronic ISSN	1470-174X
Publisher	Taylor and Francis Group
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	43
Issue	11
Pages	1912-1922
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2017.1290063

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Copyright Statement
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis Group in Studies in Higher Education on 20/02/2017, available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/03075079.2017.1290063.