Author: Carolyn Gibbon, cjgibbon@uclan.ac.uk
Author: Lindsay McPhail, lmcphail@uclan.ac.uk
JISC e-Learning Activity Area: Learning Resources and Activities
Higher Education Academy Subject Centre: Health Sciences and Practice
This case study illustrates...staff satisfaction with e-learning, a positive effect on recruitment, use of resources, an effect on social equality
Background & Context
Why did you use this e-learning approach?
Diabetes Education Online (DEOL) has been established in partnership with local Trusts to provide accessible diabetes training for health care professionals. The principle aim of DEOL is to facilitate, at local level, the implementation of national policy, in the form of the National Service Framework (NSF) for Diabetes. The philosophy that we have adopted encompasses primarily those theories associated with constructivism. This approach takes into consideration the personal interpretation involved in learning, recognising that experience, past and present, will have an impact, as individuals develop their own understanding of a concept. Yet the very nature of the module dictates that comprehensive access to both literature and policy is made available, providing a framework within which discourse can take place.
What was the context in which you used this e-learning approach?
Diabetes Education On-Line (DEOL) has been designed to assist Health Care Practitioners (HCP) in the implementation of the NSF for diabetes. The course is delivered completely at a distance over the Internet, with WebCT providing the Managed Learning Environment (MLE) within which delivery of the training package occurs. Originally developed to facilitate implementation of the NSF at local level, the program is now accessed by students from across the globe. International students are attracted by the instant access to materials and good communication channels, as they find it difficult and expensive to physically attend this type of course. Whilst the content focuses on the NSF, the international students appreciate the clinical content and its applicability to their situation.
Average numbers of students are between 10-15 for each cohort. One Lecturer provides module leadership and teaching with additional support from a lecturer/practitioner (36 and 18 hours each per module). However, in reality, lecturers may spend up to 60-70 hours in support because of reading the responses in the chat rooms and commenting on posted work.
In response to the increased need for diabetes education for HCPs from the National Health Service, the Department of Nursing within the University of Central Lancashire has developed an educational package addressing the issues identified in the NSF. Key skills for health competencies for diabetes were identified and DEOL content is mapped against these competencies. This classroom delivered module is available to all HCPs and is particularly relevant to practice nurses in their role as key providers of diabetes care in the community. Subsequently, an increase in demand for diabetes training as a result of the NSF, together with the need to provide broader access to training has prompted the development of an on-line version of the course in conjunction with local trusts. Currently, 20 practitioners, supported by their employer, complete the course each year.
Anticipation of problems- institutional systems of online enrolment and administration were not fully developed at the time of first delivery and some of these systems were developed in response to DEOL delivery as this was the first fully online distance learning course delivered.
What was the design?
The design of the e-learning approach was to build a distance learning course, based on 8 units of learning delivered on a weekly, time released basis. Each unit contains 4 case studies so that when a student completes the module 32 case studies will have been completed. In turn, in a cohort of 10-15 students, there will be at least 320-360 postings that require attention by the lecturer. Yet this design of the use of critical reflection exercises and case study work through discussion board sharing of work by students and responses by the tutor is crucial to the success of the module. The course was structured and designed specifically to enable interaction and learning via asynchronous and synchronous forums. This design utilises the problem-based learning approach and lessons learnt here have helped to inform the development of the B.Sc. Nursing Studies, by e-learning, course.
How did you implement and embed this e-learning approach?
The design was initially discussed with a steering group made up of key stakeholders curriculum development groups and following department procedure for development and validation of courses. Once the learning outcomes and units were agreed, content was finalised, the design was applied to a building process in Dreamweaver and uploaded to WebCT, utilising various University resources, sourced via a Learning Development Unit.
The personnel were a Senior Lecturer in Adult Nursing, a Senior Lecturer in Electronic Learning Technology, a Project Manager, and Associate Head for supervision and executive decisions.
DEOL was delivered to students enrolled after staff WebCT training. The students first completed a specially produced online induction unit and had e-mail and telephone support from the library (distance learning unit), module leader and information system support staff of the University.
