Fox Learning Systems
Encyclopedia
Founding
Debra FoxDebra Fox
Debra Fox is the founder and CEO of Fox Learning Systems. She was previously a television reporter and anchor with WTAE-TV Pittsburgh .- WTAE television career :...
is a former news anchor for WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV is the ABC affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh, broadcasting on UHF channel 51 and identifying via PSIP as channel 4 . It also serves as an ABC affiliate for the Wheeling/Steubenville and Clarksburg/Weston, West Virginia market areas...
, the Pittsburgh ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate
Network affiliate
In the broadcasting industry , a network affiliate is a local broadcaster which carries some or all of the television program or radio program line-up of a television or radio network, but is owned by a company other than the owner of the network...
. She founded Fox Learning Systems after witnessing the training problems plaguing the long term care industry. "If you do training well enough, people will learn," said Fox in an interview with Seton Hill University
Seton Hill University
Seton Hill University is a small Catholic liberal arts university of about 2100 students in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Formerly a women's college, it became a coeducational university in 2002....
's E-Magnify journal. She has won numerous awards for her work with Fox Learning Systems. She also publishes a blog related to the elder care industry
Studies
Fox Learning Systems has conducted and participated in numerous studies related to psychiatric learning and elder care. The National Institute of Health as well as the National Institute of Mental HealthNational Institute of Mental Health
The National Institute of Mental Health is one of 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health...
has awarded grants to Fox Learning Systems to study a variety of aspects in the eldercare field. For example, in 2002 the National Institute of Health awarded $566,000 to Fox Learning Systems for two research grants.
- In 2002, Fox Learning Systems conducted a 6-month randomized experiment comparing computer-based and lecture-based learning for nursing-home staff education. This study was conducted to find if interactive multimedia training would be feasible for compliance trainingCompliance TrainingCompliance training refers to the process of educating employees on the laws, regulations and company policies that apply to their day-to-day job responsibilities...
in nursing homes. - In 2003, Fox Learning Systems provided the educational component of a study to improve quality of care and quality of life in nursing homes. Pressure ulcers were dramatically reduced. In addition, using the animation, the nursing staff learned to identify early stage pressure ulcers in different skin tones. Prior to this study, African-American nursing home residents with one pressure ulcer were likely to have multiple ulcers whereas this was not the case for Caucasian residents. After the education, no one, white or black, had more than a single pressure ulcer.
- In 2003 Fox Learning Systems conducted a study on how computer based education should be presented to families faced with the decision of a nursing home.
- In 2004 Fox Learning Systems conducted a study based on the Hamilton Depression Rating ScaleHamilton Depression Rating ScaleThe Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression , also known as the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale or abbreviated to HAM-D, is a multiple choice questionnaire that clinicians may use to rate the severity of a patient's major depression. Max Hamilton originally published the scale in 1960 and reviewed...
to see if actors could effectively portray depressed patients. Their findings have been published in the American Journal of PsychiatryAmerican Journal of PsychiatryThe American Journal of Psychiatry is a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal covering all aspects of psychiatry and the official journal of the American Psychiatric Association. The first volume was issued in 1844, at which time it was known as the American Journal of Insanity...
. Through this study Fox Learning System launched accupsych.com a learning system that can be used to train research raters. - In 2005, Drs. Eric Lenze of Washington University in St. LouisWashington University in St. LouisWashington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
and colleagues conducted a study to determine if stroke victims could identify their own risk factors for stroke after completing inpatient physical rehabilitation. Surprisingly, the majority of patients were unaware of their own risk factors and therefore were not in a position to change any lifestyle patterns that would reduce risk of a subsequent stroke. Dr. Lenze and his colleagues approached Fox Learning Systems, Inc with the challenge of developing an adaptive learning educational tool that stroke victims would be able to use with the computer compensating for specific neurological deficits. - In 2005, Fox Learning Systems conducted an NIH funded study dealing with Electroconvulsive therapyElectroconvulsive therapyElectroconvulsive therapy , formerly known as electroshock, is a psychiatric treatment in which seizures are electrically induced in anesthetized patients for therapeutic effect. Its mode of action is unknown...
. They produced an Interactive video to simplify and provide patient information on ECT. - In 2008, Fox Learning Systems started phase two of their "Web Based Training for Families of Longterm Care". This seeks to asses family satisfaction, involvement, complaints, resident quality care and quality of life".
- In 2008, Fox Learning Systems started phase two of the NIH funded "Do Clinical Rehabilitation Education Programs Really Improve Stroke-Related Knowledge?". This is currently in the early stages of development with a time table of 3 years to completion.
Training
Fox Learning Systems develops web based e-learning training. The company has a focus on elder care but has created learning content for other medical related fields. Fox Learning Systems bases its training through a hybrid of multimediaMultimedia
Multimedia is media and content that uses a combination of different content forms. The term can be used as a noun or as an adjective describing a medium as having multiple content forms. The term is used in contrast to media which use only rudimentary computer display such as text-only, or...
and video presentations. Their programs are broken down into chapters after which a multimedia test is given and tracked on a Learning Management System
Learning management system
A learning management system is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, and reporting of training programs, classroom and online events, e-learning programs, and training content...
. The tracking is reported to staff and managers to see if employees maintain the education and skills to remain compliant.