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Introduction

Barriers to E-learning for Health Professionals and Students: Identifying Solutions Dr Graham Walton, Research Fellow Human Information Behaviour & Competences For Digital Libraries Libraries in the Digital Age: 25 th -29th May 2004, Dubrovnik and Island of Mljet, Croatia. Introduction.

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Introduction

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  1. Barriers to E-learning for Health Professionals and Students: Identifying Solutions Dr Graham Walton, Research Fellow Human Information Behaviour & Competences For Digital Libraries Libraries in the Digital Age: 25th-29th May 2004, Dubrovnik and Island of Mljet, Croatia

  2. Introduction • E-learning and evidence • Various roles of learning resources in e-learning • HeXL project • Illuminations from HeXL • Conclusion

  3. What is e-learning? E-learning is concerned with using digital technology to provide-learning content and support services. By making learning more accessible, and freeing learners at all levels to study in their own time and at their own pace, e-learning can enhance and add value to more traditional forms of learning. E-learning is not just about online courses. It can provide a wide range of services for both learners and tutors, including access to resources, information and advice. E-learning can cut down on administration, and help plan, record and track learning and development activities (NHS University, 2004)

  4. E-learning and evidence • ‘Learning and teaching strategies …will some need to be re-written and will need to give much greater attention to e-development and support. We need much more research on all of this’ Time Higher Education Supplement, 23rd April 2004, p. 16

  5. Importance of evidence in e-learning • Need to make informed decisions • In Western cultures, move to link policy, research and practice (to ensure accountability and validity) • Need answers to questions (is it cheaper, is it more effective, what’s it like for the student?)

  6. Characterizing the evidence in e-learning • Influence of ‘evidence-based medicine’ on ‘evidence based practice’ • Cultural impact of rigid hierarchies where experimentation/ randomised control trial is at top • Need for qualitative approach • Implications of the evaluators of e-learning also being the people who ‘do’ e-learning (Oliver, M. and Conole, G. (2003) Evidence based practice and e-learning in higher education: can we and should we?)

  7. Various roles of learning resources (and learning resources providers) in e-learning • Skills development • Resource provider • Study environment • Support • Intellectual property • Multi-disciplinary team member • Evaluator

  8. HeXL project • Funded by the NHS Tyne and Wear and Northumberland Strategic Health Authority • Overall aim to identify barriers to effective e-learning in NHS and process to overcome barriers • Look at e-learners at all levels and in various locations • Project ran from May 2003 to May 2004

  9. HeXL project: methodology • Semi-systematic review of the literature on barriers to e-learning (161 references) • Barriers grouped under 8 broad areas (organisational, economic, hardware, software, support, pedagogical, psychological, skills) • Literature used to generate questionnaire for health e-learners • Semi-structured interviews (based in questionnaire focus) with 13 key informants at national level

  10. Total number of questionnaire respondents • Medical 11 (7%) • Nursing and Midwifery 17 (12%) • Allied health professional 17 (12%) • Health care scientist 1 (1%) • Admin and clerical 27 (18%) • Ancillary 65 (44%) • Estates 0 (0%) • Paramedic 0 (0%) • Other 9 (6%) • Non responses 2 (%) • N 149

  11. Workplace for questionnaire respondents

  12. Study details of respondents

  13. Effectiveness of e learningKey: 1 = Strongly Agree 2 = Agree 3 = Disagree 4 = Strongly Disagree (n 149)

  14. Role of learning resources in skills development • Survey: My e-learning would be improved if I had training on how to use IT effectively (16% strongly agreed, 62% agreed) • Survey: My e-learning would be improved if I had training on being an effective e-learner  (19% strongly agreed, 62% agreed) • Survey: I have had training on how to be an e-learner (60% disagreed, 18% strongly disagreed) • Quote: ‘It’s the study skills that underpin the success of any e-learning’

  15. Role of learning resources in resource provision • Quote: ‘There is a need to make sure that the links and the pdf files are all updated and, the links are working’ • Quote: ‘One of the challenges is that you’ve got learning platform A, you’ve got learning platform B and potentially C is developing its own platform. That’s not helping the end user at all’ • Survey: My e-learning would be improved if my e-learning was mixed with other learning methods  (20% strongly agreed, 62% agreed)

  16. Role of learning resources in support • Quote: ‘We have something called ‘Fearless Friday’ so they can come in and have a supported practice test’ • Quote: ‘Residential and domiciliary staff tend to be older, they tend to be part time, they tend to be people who aren’t traditional computer users’ • Quote: ‘ If they don’t have skills, they’re not left on their own…we do have someone who can help’ • Quote: ‘ e-learning is improved when there is a named person who can help when I have problems with the software’ • Survey: Some people are resistant to using computers (14% strongly agreed, 64% agreed)

  17. Role of learning resources in multi-disciplinary team • Quote: ‘Often an IT department has its own strategy and that may not blend well with the training department’s strategy’ • Quote: ‘I think it is necessary for some people that I work with who do need face to face teaching, who do need pastoral support’’ • Quote: I think you’ve got to have both staff that are delivering it, staff who are supporting the-learning and committed students that are undertaking it’

  18. Role of learning resources in evaluation • Learning resources staff have long experience in ‘blended delivery’ and its impact • e-learning management information systems have been part of decision making process in learning resources for many years • Qualitative evaluations have high status in learning resources (e.g. impact studies) • Learning resources are in close proximity to the e-learner

  19. Conclusion • HeXL gives some evidence on role of learning resources in e learning • HeXL indicates that e-learning is seen positively as learning method by health workers • Still many questions regarding learning resources where answers are needed What are the the range of e sources used by an e learner? To what extent is group e-learning valued as well as individual e-learning? What will be the impact of e books and how will they be used? How are e-learning skills best acquired and delivered?

  20. URL for HeXL project http://www.healthexl.co.uk/

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