A review of educational philosophies as applied to radiation safety training at medical institutions

This paper examines the educational philosophy of radiation safety education programs at medical institutions. The regulatory mandates for radiation safety training have traditionally emphasized competency-based training. This emphasis led to the adoption of a behaviorist philosophy that requires predetermined responses to certain situations. The behaviorist approach determines the roles of teacher and learner as well as the methods to be used. This paper examines these roles and methods and the influence of a highly regulated environment on the adoption of the behaviorist model. The paper also suggests that other educational philosophies, such as the progressive philosophy, should be examined to provide a rich foundation for improving the educational experience and outcomes.