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Evaluating new media technology

This is an excerpt from Evidence-Based Practice for Rehabilitation Providers by David R. Dolbow,Hope Jervis Rademeyer.

To evaluate the quality of the NMT and the content it presents, six main categories should be considered:^16,18,25 expertise and credentials, information quality, information accuracy, production or publication quality, timeliness, and accessibility. Questions to consider within each category are presented in table 14.1.

• Expertise and credentials. The expertise and credentials of the individuals or teams involved in creating the NMT should be examined. This includes assessing the qualifications of content creators, hosts, guests, and producers to ensure they are suited to their role.¹⁶ Prior work in NMT, such as authoring blogs, appearing as podcast guests, or contributing to production teams, can help establish accuracy and consistency in addition to expertise. Some NMTs undergo a peer-reviewed process, which should also be documented.¹⁸
• Information quality. Evaluation of NMT should include an appraisal of information quality. The information provided must be relevant to the clinical practice question.¹⁶ Sponsorships and funding should be declared so that potential influence on the content can be assessed. If advertisements are included, their impact should be evaluated—for example, whether they are distracting or prolonged in podcasts.²⁶
• Information accuracy. The information contained within an NMT should be accurate and free from bias. Other sources should be consulted to confirm the reliability of the information presented.¹⁸ An NMT should incorporate multiple viewpoints and emphasize facts rather than opinion. If advertising is present, its potential influence on the content must be considered.²⁶
• Production or publication quality. This category refers to the presentation of the NMT.^16,26 For audio-based NMTs, sound editing, mixing, and mastering should be of high quality.¹⁶ Any additional music must be appropriate and allow the voice track to remain clear. Other sound elements should enhance the presentation rather than distract the audience. If a website is used to host or market the NMT, its design, logos, and promotional materials should appear professional.
• Timeliness. Timeliness, or currency, of the NMT should be noted. When integrating findings into clinical practice, it is vital to use up-to-date information. The date of the post or publication should be viewed,¹⁶ along with the purpose of the NMT and its intended audience. Finally, the content should be assessed for alignment with current research and clinical practice.
• Accessibility. An NMT should be widely accessible to the intended audience.^5,10 It should always be accessible or available for download on commonly used devices such as smartphones, computers, and tablets. Different functions should be available to increase the volume or font size. Subtitles, closed captioning, or transcripts should be part of an audiovisual NMT. The NMT should be free, although a free version may include advertisements.

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