E-Learning: A New Epoch in Healthcare Education
The healthcare industry is overburdened by ageing demographics, emerging trends, and changing public perceptions. Flexible continuous training programs are therefore necessary to meet this crisis. E-learning fills the need for continual education and in-service training. It also cuts down on the time and cost associated with training health care professionals.
Concept of e-learning in healthcare:
The educational approach has historically been rather simple: until the early 2000s. The modern world is complex, with issues and concerns that did not exist even a decade ago. Learning took place in a classroom where physical presence was a necessity, and other forms of learning were at best questionable. Then came the computer revolution, which fundamentally altered the landscape of education in the form of e-learning. The idea of e-learning is always evolving, much like society.
E-learning is a component of the new dynamic that re-defined educational systems at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It is challenging to develop a single definition of online learning. Different professional methods and personal interests influence how people comprehend e-learning.
In many healthcare organizations, learning and development activities increasingly include e-learning, which helps healthcare personnel expand their knowledge and skills. Today, it serves as a major resource for training and development in the healthcare sector. Patients benefit most when healthcare professionals are knowledgeable about the recent developments in medical science and technology and have easy access to all the information regarding evidence-based procedures, regulations, and protocols.
New trends & Innovations in e-learning:
A range of new trends and innovations have been included in e-learning activities in the recent years.
Blended Learning: It is a key trend in remote learning,which combines traditional face-to-face and online learning activities.
Mobile Learning: It aims to give every individual user access to education using portable electronic devices like smartphones and tablets, wherever they are.
Micro Learning: A new development in social learning, which divides instructional material into manageable, brief portions.
Social Learning: In the modern e-learning environment, this sort of learning may be handled through the exchange of information via social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook.
Benefits of e-learning in Healthcare:
1.??Increases compliancetomandatory training hours
2.??Aids inprofessional development
3.??Increases healthcare workforce retention
4.??Improved employee satisfaction
5.??Maintains uniformity in skills of healthcare professionals
6.??Significant saving of time and money
7.??Enhances patient outcomes
8.??Informs, encourages, oversees, and trackshealthcare professionals work progress
9.??Allows healthcare professionals the freedom to learn at their own speed
10.??Gives new professionals the chance to learn from and connect with seniors and trainers
11.??High-quality information through live sessions, case studies, animations, videos, simulations and problem-based learning.
12.??Meets the need of necessary skill set for evolving healthcare demands
Types of e-learning:
E-learning takes place in a variety of ways and occasionally combines the following approaches and practices:
I.??Complete online:No face to face interactions.
领英推荐
II.??Hybrid form: It is a blended learning environment, combining face to face interactions with online learning in two distinct modes such as Synchronous and Asynchronous.
a) Synchronous e-learning:
It occurs when the trainer and trainee are both online and communicating simultaneously from various places.
b) Asynchronous e-learning:
Asynchronous online learning involves pause-and-resume kind of learning. The trainee and the trainer are not able to be online simultaneously in this sort of e-learning.
Methods of e-learning in Healthcare:
With eLearning, the options are unlimited. Online trainings are used in the healthcare sector in a variety of ways, from onboarding to technical skill training. With the help of Learning Management Systems (LMS) healthcare professionals may learn interactively in a variety of innovative formats.
1. Virtual Courses:
Virtual trainings have been much simpler in recent years because of improvements in online video conference software’s.Offering remote learning in this way has shown to be quite effective.
2. Self-paced Learning:
In the past, healthcare organizations would develop a timetable for staff training that detailed what would be taught and when. Due to their 24/7 responsibilities and demanding work schedules, the majority of healthcare professionals, however, favour opportunities for independent, self-directed learning and prefer to learn in their leisure time.
With the help of an LMS, healthcare professionals may educate themselves at their own paceon the subjects and skills they believe to be most interesting to them or that they need to improve on.
3. Learning on the go:
Studying ‘on the go’ is made simpler by the more flexible method provided by e-learning, where learners may access course materials at any time. Healthcare learning management systems (LMS) are online learning platforms specifically curated for healthcare organizations. Medical institutions and organizations can help their employees keep abreast on current medical standards, new clinical technology, and updated protocols by offering certified continuing education, training, and other learning and development services through the use of healthcare LMS systems.
4. Sharing Educational Resources:
More than ever, modern LMS systems have made it simple for healthcare institutions and companies to offer instructional materials to their employees who may access them remotely.
5. Simulation through Virtual and Augmented Reality:
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are expected to have a significant influence on online learning in the healthcare sector (AR). Instructors may recreate real-life events with the use of VR and AR, allowing healthcare professionals to learn information that would otherwise be challenging to understand in a natural setting.
6. Customized Learning Experiences:
Because of advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, it is now easier to build customized learning experiences. By fusing information from learning platforms, learning management systems are now able to provide ideas for each learner that are more matched to their needs.
E-learning – Digital transformation in healthcare education:
In order to assure flexibility in a dynamic workplace, healthcare professionals in the twenty-first century must not only possess a standard clinical education but also should be current with emerging technology. The need for high-end e-learning is rising as a result of this new technology. The world now wants more after seeing and experiencing the success of traditional e-learning. Not just in terms of imparting knowledge, but also with regard to the addition of interactive features and learner motivation.Two of these training methods that have revolutionized education in the healthcare sector are computer-assisted learning and simulation-based online training.
Computer-assisted learning (CAL):
One of the main uses of computer- assisted learning in the field of healthcare has been to simply make it easier for healthcare workers to keep up with the knowledge and current clinical practices.Additionally, CAL has become a more and more well-liked instrument for medical professionals to master complex skill sets that are continually more closely related to cutting-edge technology.
Colleges, universities and hospitals may utilize a variety of CAL to assist their students and employees in gaining a deeper understanding of a range of subjects, including clinical procedures, practices and more.The instructors and learnersget quick feedback on how they are progressing. Healthcare technology is developing so swiftly, andCAL has assisted healthcare workers in gaining fundamental information and skills, particularly in asynchronous, self-paced learning environments.