What are SNAPIs?

SNAPIs, or Small Nuggets Applied Practically to Inform, are a reusable learning resource developed by Dr Emma O’Neill (Assistant Professor in Small Animal Medicine) and Mark Carty (Educational Technologist) as a tool to promote active student engagement in Veterinary Education.  Each individual SNAPI takes the form of a short, self-contained, interactive quiz programme combining a short clinical scenario and clinical material with questions and targeted feedback.  In addition, they contain relevant links or references for further self-directed study.  These reusable, stand-alone resources are then integrated into the Blackboard (VLE) to supplement more formal course content and provide individual, targeted feedback.  The hallmark of SNAPIs, as indicated by the name, is that they are short, bite-sized learning resources that provide informative feedback and scaffold further learning.  They are derived from clinical material to promote inherent learner interest and active learning.  Their brevity and multi platform accessibility, without the requirement for additional software, is designed to draw students in and appeal to our ‘on the go’ gadget-aided lifestyle.

Read the full SNAPI Information Sheet here.

Latest developments:

Whilst developed originally for use within a post graduate certificate programme, SNAPIs have broad potential applications and are currently being developed for use within the Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Nursing undergraduate programmes.  We are currently running undergraduate studentships funded by a Digital Skills in Action project, supervised by Dr Mary Gallagher and Dr Emma O’Neill, to develop further resources.

Dr Emma O’Neill, Mark Carty and Dr Mary Gallagher have also teamed up with Karolina Jankowska and Maire O’Reilly, working in the Clinical Skills Laboratory, to form a working group creating a selection of SNAPIs with broad application across the Veterinary Programmes.  We rolled out our first two broader application SNAPIs last semester on the Clinical Skills website.

Future plans:

• Additional SNAPIs have been and are still being developed for use in the Graduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine programme, the first wave having proved extremely popular as the programme launched in 2015 and subsequent ones proving popular when surveyed in May 2017
• Integration of SNAPIs as one of the resources available on the UCD School of Veterinary Medicine Clinical Skills Laboratory website
  
• Generation of SNAPIs to supplement both preclinical and clinical veterinary modules by discussion with individual module coordinators.

SNAPI exposure:

Since their launch in 2015 on the Graduate Certificate SAM programme, SNAPIs have been presented at a variety of educational meetings including:

Digital Skills in Action UCD TEL Day: One of two UCD case studies chosen for participation. Presentation in the programme and material on Blackboard Course site website. Carty, M. Gallagher, M. O'Neill, EJ (2016) Development of SNAPIs as a Reusable Learning Resource (RLR) for an online post-graduate Veterinary Programme. UCD TEL Day: EdTECx talks, Digital Skills in Action & All Aboard Digital Skills. March 9th 2016.

VetEd Veterinary Education Conference: abstract for oral and poster presentation. Carty, M. Gallagher, M. O'Neill, E.J. (2016) The use of SNAPIs, Reusable Learning Objects, to promote active engagement within an on-line post-graduate Veterinary Programme. VetEd Annual Conference, Glasgow, Scotland.

UCD Squared Symposium 2016: abstract and poster presentation. Carty, M. Gallagher, M. O'Neill, E.J. (2016) Development of SNAPIs as a Reusable Learning Resource (RLR) for an on-line post-graduate Veterinary Programme UCD Squared, 28-29th June 2016.

TELU - Open online resources for teaching with technology 2016: Case study. Using SNAPIs for formative assessment and feedback: Dr Emma O’Neill. 

VetEd Veterinary Education Conference: abstract for oral and poster presentation. Carty, M. Gallagher, M. O’Neill, E.J. (2017).  The use of SNAPIs, Reusable Learning Objects, as a method for practical, achievable formative feedback for adult learners.  VetEd Annual Conference, Liverpool, UK.

Get involved!

• Any feedback and ideas from people who have tried out any of our SNAPIs would be most welcome!
• If you would be interested in helping us to develop further SNAPIs or if you are interested in one of our studentships, please get in touch!

The SNAPI development group:

Dr Emma J O’Neill

Mark Carty

Dr Mary Gallagher

Karolina Jankowska

Maire O’Reilly