The prefix "i" has never been utilized as ubiquitously as it has been in this digital age. It has been affixed to numerous gadgets and gizmos as well as products and places of interest. It has various meanings from "internet", to one's self, to "interconnectivity" and "independent". However, in the educational technology world, the prefix "i" means only one thing - "interactive". The POGOe product - iPOMA - the Editor's Choice for this month is definitely interactive with a capital I!

The Interactive Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (iPOMA) by Dr. Jorge G. Ruiz and his colleagues from the Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine at the University of Miami School of Medicine, Jackson Memorial Medical Center, is a computer-based training module created to teach learners of various levels how to assess falls risk among older adults in a wide variety of settings including acute and ambulatory care, home care and long term care. The module is divided into several sections, each starting with learning objectives, followed by a tutorial, a set of key points and considerations and then a self-assessment practice exercise. For each step of the POMA, you will see instructions on how to administer and score it, along with descriptions and videos of patients with diverse gait or balance performances. At the end of the module, the learner can use the self-test with videos to practice scoring.

iPOMA includes a very thorough Facilitator’s Manual, which specifies instructions on how to use it, including navigation features such as an explanation of the menus and buttons. Mousing over any of the underlined key words within the module provides a pop-up definition, which is linked to a glossary at the end. The video clips show actual patients performing the test, which helps the learner to fully understand and score the tests and observe how actual individuals perform them. The user can therefore anticipate what to expect from actual patients’ test performance. The module also uses animation to illustrate key concepts, and interspersed within the tutorials are quizzes that provide explanations for both the correct and incorrect responses.

The module has a few minor limitations, including the spare use of audio. There are only two videos with sound – the summary videos at the end of the balance and gait sections that show a physician administering the entire test. Audio often increases user engagement. The video summaries are lengthy and holding down the fast forward button doesn't significantly increase the speed. It would be helpful to have a slider that learners could use to skip forward or back in the video. The mobility assessment form is available as an image that is quite small. You can mouse over each section of the form to magnify it, but you cannot magnify the entire image at once. A downloadable form in a PDF format would be helpful.

Overall, this truly interactive web module provides an easy way for students to learn how to administer the Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment to assess falls risk as well as an illustrative method for practicing physicians to refamiliarize themselves to the test. It is an excellent self-learning tool as well for anyone who would like to learn at his or her own time and pace.

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