OPENPediatrics named a 2015 Microsoft Education Tech Awards Laureate

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The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, California, has named OPENPediatrics as a 2015 Microsoft Education Tech Awards Laureate. The Tech Awards are given out annually to recognize projects that address globally significant problems through innovative uses of technology.  OPENPediatrics joins a group of educational innovators that includes prior laureates Sal Khan of Khan Academy and OEC member MIT OpenCourseWare.

A free online community of pediatric clinicians sharing best practices, OPENPediatrics has drawn inspiration from the open educational resources movement, massive open online courses (MOOCs), social media and massive multiplayer online games to apply emerging technologies to the challenge of improving child health and reducing child mortality worldwide.cat1

OPENPediatrics combines resources including videos, medical calculators, and advanced simulators; interactive groups supporting threaded discussion, document exchange and video chat; and structured learning opportunities. OPENPediatrics is currently used in 127 countries and 881 hospitals worldwide.  Since exiting the beta testing phase in April 2014, OPENPediatrics has seen its community increase more than 330% to include over 6,400 clinicians worldwide.

Many of the resources can be accessed on their public site, and clinicians may complete a free registration on their clinician community site to view all of OPENPediatrics’ resources, access collaboration tools, and to join the global community.

Highlights of OPENPediatrics’ content include:

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In the coming months, OPENPediatrics will introduce a number of new features and resources, including a peritoneal dialysis simulator, case-based learning tool, and CME credit for learning undertaken with select OP materials. OPENPediatrics will also add a unique pediatric cardiovascular multimedia library sharing the radiographic findings—including cardiac catheterizations, radiographs, surgical footage, echocardiograms, MRIs and phonocardiograms—from 27 of the most common heart abnormalities.

The Tech Awards recognize projects and individuals in five categories—Environment, Education, Young Innovator, Health and Economic Development —with two laureates per category named.  OPENPediatrics will receive the award at the 2015 Tech Awards Gala, Thursday, November 12, 2015, where annually over 1,200 innovators in the technology industry gather to celebrate the power of technology to address global challenges and benefit humanity.

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Stephen Carson is Director of Operations for OPENPediatrics (http://openpediatrics.org) where he oversees the activities of the OPENPediatrics staff, provides leadership for OP’s content production strategy, and collaborates with BCH leadership and internal and external stakeholders to grow the OP global community and develop supporting revenue for the program. Prior to joining the OPENPediatrics team, he was Director of Communications and External Relations for MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu). Steve also served as the first president of the OpenCourseWare Consortium (http://ocwconsortium.org) from 2008 to 2011.