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Mahadevan A, Rivera R, Najhawan M, Saadat S, Strehlow M, Rao GVR, Youm J. Assessing the Efficacy of a Novel Massive Open Online Soft Skills Course for South Asian Healthcare Professionals. J Med Syst 2024; 48:32. [PMID: 38509201 PMCID: PMC10954989 DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02051-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
In healthcare professions, soft skills contribute to critical thinking, decision-making, and patient-centered care. While important to the delivery of high-quality medical care, soft skills are often underemphasized during healthcare training in low-and-middle-income countries. Despite South Asia's large population, the efficacy and viability of a digital soft skills curriculum for South Asian healthcare practitioners has not been studied to date. We hypothesized that a web-based, multilingual, soft skills course could aid the understanding and application of soft skills to improve healthcare practitioner knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and intent-to-change clinical practice.In September 2019 a needs assessment observing soft skills practices was conducted in several Indian states. We developed a communication-focused soft skills curriculum that comprised seven 10-minute video lectures, recorded in spoken English and Hindi. Participants consisted of any practicing healthcare professionals and trainees in select South Asian countries age 18 and over. Participant knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and intent-to-change clinical practice were evaluated using pre- and post-course tests and surveys. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA and SPSS.From July 26, 2021 to September 26, 2021, 5750 registered and attempted the course, 2628 unique participants completed the pre-test, and 1566 unique participants completed the post-test. Participants demonstrated small but statistically significant gains in confidence (𝑝<0.001), attitudes toward course topics relevance (𝑝<0.001), and intent-to-change clinical practice (𝑝<0.001). There was no statistically significant gain in knowledge. A digital soft-skills massive open online course for healthcare practitioners in South Asia could serve as a viable approach to improve the quality of soft skills training in low-to-middle income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Mahadevan
- University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Ronald Rivera
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine Medical Center, Orange, CA, USA
| | - Mahan Najhawan
- University of Queensland-Ochsner School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Soheil Saadat
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine Medical Center, Orange, CA, USA
| | - Matthew Strehlow
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - G V Ramana Rao
- Department of Emergency Medicine Learning Centre and Research, Emergency Management and Research Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Julie Youm
- Department of Medical Education, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
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Mackenzie SC, Dickson J, Mehar S, Yusof BNM, Alselmi A, Aksi B, Baxter MS, Bickerton A, Bharaj HS, Conway N, Cumming KM, Lim LL, Lessan N, Ghouri N, Flax TT, Osei-Kwasi HA, Teo ME, Waqar S, Hassanein M, Wake DJ. Digitising diabetes education for a safer Ramadan: Design, delivery, and evaluation of massive open online courses in Ramadan-focused diabetes education. Prim Care Diabetes 2024:S1751-9918(24)00065-2. [PMID: 38493066 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcd.2024.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Ramadan-focused diabetes education is critical to facilitate safer Ramadan fasting amongst Muslim people living with diabetes. We present the design, delivery, and evaluation of two parallel massive open online courses (MOOCs) in Ramadan-focused diabetes education for people with diabetes and HCPs. METHODS Two Ramadan-focused diabetes education MOOCs were developed and delivered for Ramadan 2023: one for HCPs in English, and another for people with diabetes in English, Arabic and Malay. A user-centred iterative design process was adopted, informed by user feedback from a 2022 pilot MOOC. Evaluation comprised a mixed-methods evaluation of pre- and post-course user surveys. RESULTS The platform was utilised by people with diabetes and their family, friends and healthcare professionals. Overall, a total of 1531 users registered for the platform from 50 countries, 809 started a course with a 48% subsequent completion rate among course starters. Qualitative analysis showed users found the course a user-friendly and authoritative information source. In the HCP MOOC, users reported improved post-MOOC Ramadan awareness, associated diabetes knowledge and ability to assess and advise patients in relation to their diabetes during Ramadan (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate the potential of MOOCs to deliver culturally tailored, high-quality, scalable, multilingual Ramadan-focused diabetes education to HCPs and people with diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott C Mackenzie
- MyWay Digital Health, Dundee, UK; Division of Population Health and Genomics, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Jane Dickson
- Division of Population Health and Genomics, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Salma Mehar
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Barakatun Nisak Mohd Yusof
- Universiti Putra Malaysia, Department of Dietetics Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Adhari Alselmi
- Clinical Sciences Department, Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Medical Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Mats Stage Baxter
- Centre for Medical Informatics, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alex Bickerton
- Department of Diabetes & Endocrinology, Yeovil District Hospital, Somerset Foundation Trust, Yeovil, UK
| | | | - Nicholas Conway
- Division of Population Health and Genomics, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | | | - Lee-Ling Lim
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Nader Lessan
- Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Nazim Ghouri
- School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK; Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Hibbah A Osei-Kwasi
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Michelle Es Teo
- Edinburgh Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Salman Waqar
- Department of Primary Care & Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; British Islamic Medical Association, UK
| | | | - Deborah J Wake
- MyWay Digital Health, Dundee, UK; Centre for Medical Informatics, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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Zhu H, Xu J, Wang P, Bian J, Zhao Z, Liu H, Ji L. The irreplaceable role of medical massive open online courses in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Med Educ 2023; 23:323. [PMID: 37158861 PMCID: PMC10166685 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-023-04315-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have become innovative open-learning approach in medical education. This study aimed to evaluate the dynamic changes in the construction and application of medical MOOCs before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in China. METHODS The dynamic changes of usages about medical MOOCs before and after 2020 were mainly searched on the Smart Education of China Higher Education platform, and the detailed learning profiles and outcome indicators were further analyzed using 40 national first-class medical MOOCs from 'zhihuishu' platform. RESULTS A total of 2,405 medical MOOCs were exported from the Smart Education of China Higher Education platform, of which 1,313 (54.6%) were launched since 2020. The total and average numbers of participants of 141 national first-class medical MOOCs peaked during the initial spread of COVID-19 in 2020. We further analyzed the dynamic usage of MOOCs from 2018 to 2022 based on 40 national first-class medical MOOCs launched on the 'Zhihuishu' platform. The findings revealed that the number of registered learners (3,240 versus 2,654), questions and answers (27,005 versus 5,116) and students taking the final examination (2,782 versus 1,995) per semester were significantly higher since 2020 compared to these before 2020. Especially, the number of registered learners, registered schools, questions and answers, and students participating in online discussion, taking the unit quiz, taking final examinations and passing final examinations all peaked in the 2020 spring-summer semester. Pearson's correlation analysis found that the number of questions and answers and the number of learners who participated in online discussion were both positively correlated with the number of students who passed the final examination, and the correlation was especially strong since 2020. Moreover, the number of publications on medical MOOC research has soared since 2020 and has maintained a continuous upward trend. CONCLUSIONS High-quality medical MOOCs have been launched rapidly since the COVID-19 pandemic in China. The number of participants and online interactions of medical MOOCs peaked during the initial spread of COVID-19 in 2020. MOOCs are reliable and valid digital sources that facilitate medical higher education and play irreplaceable roles in emergency management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315211, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin Xu
- School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315211, People's Republic of China
- Academic Affairs Office, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315211, People's Republic of China
| | - Penghao Wang
- School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315211, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia Bian
- Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315211, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhijia Zhao
- School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315211, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongyi Liu
- School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315211, People's Republic of China
| | - Lindan Ji
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315211, People's Republic of China.
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Hong Y, Wu J, Wu J, Xu H, Li X, Lin Z, Xia J. Semi-flipped classroom-based learning interventions in a traditional curriculum of oral medicine: students' perceptions and teaching achievements. BMC Med Educ 2023; 23:44. [PMID: 36658530 PMCID: PMC9854072 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-023-04017-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, flipped classes have emerged and become popular in college medical education. However, due to the huge medical learning system and the limited pre-class study time of students, it is difficult to implement in all courses. And then we adopted the semi-flipped classes (SFCs) to evaluate its teaching effect. This study analysed three educational methods that can be used in oral medicine courses: online education, offline education, and semi-flipped classes. METHODS We used two surveys to evaluate the three educational methods. In the first survey 46 teachers and 238 undergraduates shared their experience of the live-streaming and traditional offline courses offered in the different oral medicine curricula; we used anonymous questionnaires to evaluate their class experience. In the second survey 94 students shared their experience of the semi-flipped and traditional classrooms. Students who attended the SFCs in the experimental group learned about the oral mucosa disease by themselves using an online video course and then participated in offline interaction with teachers. The evaluation of the above educational methods was conducted using the anonymous questionnaires and final exam assessment. RESULTS According to the first survey, teachers and students both agreed that the overall teaching experience and learning effectiveness in offline education are superior to those in online education. According to the second survey, students who participated in the SFCs performed better in the final exam than those who participated in the simple offline classes. Additionally, the survey showed that the new teaching method helped students gain more knowledge and positively influenced their clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS Compared with the online and offline educational methods, the SFC showed better results in both the questionnaire and final exam assessment. Hence, the effectiveness of medical education can be improved by adopting a teaching mode that combines online and offline teaching methods. Scientific and logical SFCs designs, along with their effective implementation, would eventually make SFCs an important tool for medical education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Hong
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510055, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiaying Wu
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510055, Guangdong, China
| | - Jie Wu
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510055, Guangdong, China
| | - Huaimin Xu
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510055, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaolan Li
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510055, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhengmei Lin
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510055, Guangdong, China
| | - Juan Xia
- Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510055, Guangdong, China.
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Duncan A, Premnazeer M, Sithamparanathan G. Massive open online course adoption amongst newly graduated health care providers. Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract 2022; 27:919-930. [PMID: 35389153 PMCID: PMC8988909 DOI: 10.1007/s10459-022-10113-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are flexible offerings that deliver content to a large audience in a virtual platform. MOOCs are increasingly accessed by health professionals to support their own professional development. Despite the agreed usefulness of MOOCs, the rates of adoption are still extremely low. This study sought to understand the personal and social factors associated with MOOC adoption. Participants were newly graduated occupational therapists who registered for a leadership skills development MOOC. Qualitative interviews were conducted to understand unique perspectives of participants who did and did not complete the MOOC. Data were analyzed using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework. Participants reported they found the MOOC content beneficial in providing a foundational framework on which to develop their leadership skills. Even though MOOC content was organized into multiple small components, participants shared that they would engage with the material once a week for up to two hours. Participants reported a high level of comfort accessing the technology to complete the MOOC, however they reported that they would have preferred more interactive or synchronous learning opportunities. MOOCs are an efficient way to offer a wide variety of educational offerings to health professionals. Despite their asynchronous nature, MOOC developers should consider maximizing opportunities for learner interaction and content application learning opportunities within MOOCs to increase their overall adoption.
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Birkun A, Gautam A, Trunkwala F, Böttiger BW. Open online courses on basic life support: Availability and resuscitation guidelines compliance. Am J Emerg Med 2022; 62:102-107. [PMID: 35965163 PMCID: PMC9359675 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2022.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Birkun
- Department of General Surgery, Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, Medical Academy named after S.I. Georgievsky of V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, Lenin Blvd, 5/7, Simferopol 295051, Russian Federation.
| | - Adhish Gautam
- Regional Government Hospital, Una (H.P.) 174303, India
| | - Fatima Trunkwala
- University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire, Clifford Bridge Road, Coventry CV2 2DX, England, United Kingdom
| | - Bernd W Böttiger
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany
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Goodwin I, Lea E, Bindoff A, Doherty K. Exploring perceptions of eating with dementia: Findings from a massive open online course. Appetite 2022; 177:106126. [PMID: 35697154 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
People with dementia are at high risk of malnutrition as a result of progressive symptoms that affect eating. Maximising opportunities to enhance nutrition and strategies to encourage eating are a crucial part of providing care. Caregiver knowledge and a person-centred approach to eating is essential to reduce symptom burden and maintain quality of life. There is currently limited research investigating first person perceptions of eating with dementia, particularly beyond small sample sizes. Therefore, this paper aims to explore community perceptions of how best to encourage eating for people with dementia using findings from an online course. Within the Understanding Dementia Massive Open Online Course, responses to the following statement were collected: 'If I had dementia, the things that might help me to eat include…'. A total of 3,651 participant responses were collected from the 2018 and 2019 course enrolments and analysed using structural topic modelling and secondary thematic analysis. The majority of participants were female, tertiary educated Australians over 50 years old. A third were paid caregivers. Thirteen topics were isolated from topic modelling that can be reduced into six broad categories: food type personalisation, meal choice, meal presentation, eating environment, eating assistance and end of life nutrition. Participant responses demonstrated diverse awareness of important aspects to encourage eating in dementia. Findings support the need for improved uptake of nutritional strategies in practice and education on eating with dementia to support caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Goodwin
- School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia; Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, Tasmania, Australia.
| | - Emma Lea
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Aidan Bindoff
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Kathleen Doherty
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, Tasmania, Australia
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Campbell JA, Shaw SN, Mainsbridge C, Taylor BV, Claflin SB. An exploratory study regarding communication facilitators and barriers reported by a cohort of multiple sclerosis (MS) community members from the international massive open online course 'Understanding MS'. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2021; 59:103473. [PMID: 35092944 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Effective communication is essential for high-quality multiple sclerosis (MS)-related healthcare, but significant knowledge and practice gaps remain in this area. The aim of this study was to explore facilitators and barriers of communication about MS reported by members of the MS community. METHODS We conducted an exploratory mixed method study analysing self-reported facilitators and barriers to communication among MS community members participating in a free international online course about MS (called Understanding MS) who commented on an optional discussion board. We quantitatively compared commenters with course participants who did not comment and, among commenters, compared health information consumers (people with MS, caregivers) and suppliers (healthcare providers, service providers, researchers) using chi square and t-tests. We evaluated free text discussion board responses for emergent themes, comparing and contrasting consumer and supplier responses. RESULTS We found that the sociodemographic characteristics of commenters (n = 262) were similar to course participants overall including age, sex and MS community role. However, among commenters, consumers (n = 152) were about 9 years older than suppliers (n = 57) on average (mean age consumers 52.9 years; suppliers 44.0 years p<0.001), and were less likely to have a university degree (p = 0.004) or live in Australia (the course host country representing almost 60% of the cohort; p<0.001). Nonetheless, consumers and suppliers listed similar facilitators for communication about MS: honesty, kindness/empathy/compassion, openness, and effective listening. Consumers further prioritized clarity and patience. Consumers were also more likely to list barriers to communication, commonly listing the following barriers: encountering a lack of knowledge about MS, the invisible symptoms of MS, uncertainty about the appropriate amount of communication, and concern about being perceived as complaining and/or burdening others. Finally, consumers also discussed communication as a means to educate others about MS. CONCLUSIONS Effective communication remains a challenge in the MS community, particularly between health information suppliers and health information consumers. The results of this exploratory study highlight areas that should be considered when developing communication strategies for MS community members. A larger confirmatory study of MS health information consumers and suppliers that uses focus groups and individual interviews could be conducted to further explore these emerging themes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A Campbell
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Australia.
| | - Sally N Shaw
- Focussed Health Psychology, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Casey Mainsbridge
- School of Education, College of Arts, Law, and Education, University of Tasmania, Australia
| | - Bruce V Taylor
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Australia
| | - Suzi B Claflin
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Australia
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Chesniak OM, Drane D, Young C, Hokanson SC, Goldberg BB. Theory of change models deepen online learning evaluation. Eval Program Plann 2021; 88:101945. [PMID: 33894476 PMCID: PMC8206009 DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2021.101945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have gained traction as resources for professional development. This article presents the method that we used to evaluate a professional development MOOC for postdoctoral trainees that was created by a university consortium in the US. Most approaches to evaluating MOOCs focus on analysis of participation, outcomes from course assignments, self-reported learning outcomes, course completion and user pathways through the online content or clickstream data. Few published evaluations describe in detail how learning happens within online courses and the anticipated medium and longer term cognitive and behavioral outcomes on participants. This work aims to guide those who are designing, implementing and evaluating MOOCs through applying theories of change to focus evaluation on the process of learning. This approach can be used as a complement to traditional approaches for evaluating MOOCs. We described how we worked with the MOOC team building the content to develop a theory of change for each module (or lesson) within the MOOC and used the theory of change to guide evaluation of short and medium term participant cognitive, affective and attitudinal, and behavioral outcomes. Finally, we share lessons learned and suggestions for implementing theories of change in both the design and evaluation phases of MOOC development.
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Gleason KT, Commodore-Mensah Y, Wu AW, Kearns R, Pronovost P, Aboumatar H, Dennison Himmelfarb CR. Massive open online course (MOOC) learning builds capacity and improves competence for patient safety among global learners: A prospective cohort study. Nurse Educ Today 2021; 104:104984. [PMID: 34058646 PMCID: PMC8316390 DOI: 10.1016/j.nedt.2021.104984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Education about patient safety has historically been limited in health professionals curricula and largely inaccessible to the general public. We developed a massive open online course (MOOC), The Science of Safety in Healthcare, to present the foundational patient safety principles to a broad global audience of health professionals, learners, and patients interested in patient safety. OBJECTIVES To describe the Science of Safety in Healthcare MOOC, its effects on patient safety competence, and the satisfaction of course participants. METHODS The five-week video-based course was delivered in 2013 and 2014, and was organized in five modules: 1) overview of science of safety and safety culture, 2) enabling and contextual factors that influence patient safety and quality, 3) methods to improve safety and quality, 4) translating evidence intro practice and leading change, and 5) summary and opportunities for capacity building. Each module had three or four segments. Participants were introduced to key concepts, and tools and skills to promote patient safety. Participants completed the Health Professional Education in Patient Safety Survey (H-PEPSS), which measures patient safety competence, and a course satisfaction survey. Pre- and post- course H-PEPSS scores were compared using paired t-tests. Course satisfaction surveys were administered at the completion of the course and six months later. RESULTS A total of 20,957, and 9679 participants enrolled in the course in 2013 and 2014, respectively. About half of participants were 25-44 years old (57%), and female (54%). Participants joined from over 100 countries. The majority were health professionals (61%) or health professionals in training (7%). Mean H-PEPSS scores improved after course completion, with significant increases on all survey domains in both years (p < 0.01). Mean score differences were: Teamwork 0.68 (95% CI: 0.64, 0.71), Communication 0.70 (95% CI: 0.66, 0.73), Managing Risk 0.79 (95% CI: 0.76, 0.82), Human Environment 0.64 (95% CI: 0.61, 0.68), Recognizing and Responding 0.64 (95% CI: 0.61, 0.68), and Culture 0.72 (95% CI: 0.68, 0.75). About 8% of participants in each cohort earned a certificate of completion. At 6-months post-course, the majority of the participants agreed or agreed strongly that the course content was useful (93%) and that the course positively influenced their clinical practice (69%) and communication (84%). CONCLUSIONS The MOOC course allowed educators to reach a large, diverse audience. The course was well-received and participants reported a significant increase in patient safety competence. As with most MOOCs, rates of completion were low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly T Gleason
- School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | | | - Albert W Wu
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert Kearns
- School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Hanan Aboumatar
- School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Cheryl R Dennison Himmelfarb
- School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Yilmaz Y, Sarikaya O, Senol Y, Baykan Z, Karaca O, Demiral Yilmaz N, Altintas L, Onan A, Sayek İ. RE-AIMing COVID-19 online learning for medical students: a massive open online course evaluation. BMC Med Educ 2021; 21:303. [PMID: 34039344 PMCID: PMC8154107 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-021-02751-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical training during the COVID-19 pandemic is high risk for medical students. Medical schools in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) have limited capacity to develop resources in the face of rapidly developing health emergencies. Here, a free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) was developed as a COVID-19 resource for medical students working in these settings, and its effectiveness was evaluated. METHODS The RE-AIM (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance) framework was utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of MOOC in teaching medical students about COVID-19. The data sources included the student registration forms, metrics quantifying their interactions within the modules, students' course feedback, and free-text responses. The data were collected from the Moodle learning management system and Google analytics from May 9 to September 15, 2020. The research team analyzed the quantitative data descriptively and the qualitative data thematically. RESULTS Among the 16,237 unique visitors who accessed the course, only 6031 medical students from 71 medical schools registered, and about 4993 (83% of registrants) completed the course, indicating high levels of satisfaction (M = 8.17, SD = 1.49) on a 10-point scale. The mean scores of each assessment modules were > 90%. The free-text responses from 987 unique students revealed a total of 17 themes (e.g., knowing the general information on COVID-19, process management of the pandemic in public health, online platform use, and instructional design) across the elements of the RE-AIM framework. Mainly, the students characterized the MOOC as well-organized and effective. CONCLUSIONS Medical students learned about COVID-19 using a self-paced and unmonitored MOOC. MOOCs could play a vital role in the dissemination of accurate information to medical students in LMIC in future public health emergencies. The students were interested in using similar MOOCs in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuf Yilmaz
- McMaster Education Research, Innovation, and Theory (MERIT), and Office of Continuing Professional Development Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, 100 Main Street West, 5th Floor, Room 5003, Hamilton, Ontario, L8N 3Z5, Canada.
- Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
| | - Ozlem Sarikaya
- Department of Medical Education, School of Medicine, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Yesim Senol
- Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Zeynep Baykan
- Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Ozan Karaca
- Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | | | - Levent Altintas
- Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Acibadem University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Arif Onan
- Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - İskender Sayek
- Association for Evaluation and Accreditation of Medical Education Programs, İzmir, Turkey
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Launois P, Maher D, Certain E, Ross B, Penkunas MJ. Implementation research training for learners in low- and middle-income countries: evaluating behaviour change after participating in a massive open online course. Health Res Policy Syst 2021; 19:59. [PMID: 33823859 PMCID: PMC8025553 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-021-00703-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Implementation research (IR) can play a critical role in the delivery of disease control interventions, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The growing demand for IR training has led to the development of a range of training programmes and university courses, the majority of which can not be accessed by learners in LMICs. This article reports on the evaluation of the massive open online course (MOOC) developed by the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases hosted by WHO on the topic of IR with a focus on infectious diseases of poverty. This study followed the Kirkpatrick Model to evaluate training programmes with a specific focus on post-training changes in behaviour. METHODS MOOC participants were invited to take part in an anonymous online survey examining their knowledge of IR and how they applied it in their professional practice approximately 1-1.5 years after completing their course. The survey contained 43 open-ended, multiple choice and Likert-type questions. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the quantitative data and responses to the open-ended questions were thematically coded. RESULTS A total of 748 MOOC participants responded to the survey. The demographic profile of the survey respondents aligned with that of the MOOC participants, with nearly 70% of respondents originating from Africa. Responses to the quantitative and open-ended survey questions revealed that respondents' knowledge of IR had improved to a large extent as a result of the MOOC, and that they used the knowledge and skills gained in their professional lives frequently and had consequently changed their professional behaviour. Respondents most often cited the problem-solving aspect of IR as a substantial area of behavioral change influenced by participating in the MOOC. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that the MOOC was successful in targeting learners from LMICs, in strengthening their IR knowledge and contributing to their ability to apply it in their professional practice. The utility of MOOCs for providing IR training to learners in LMICs, where implementation challenges are encountered often, makes this platform an ideal standalone learning tool or one that could be combined with other training formats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Launois
- Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), WHO, 20 Ave Appia, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dermot Maher
- Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), WHO, 20 Ave Appia, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Edith Certain
- Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), WHO, 20 Ave Appia, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Bella Ross
- Student Academic Support Unit, Monash University, 900 Dandenong Road, Caulfield East, 3145, Australia.
| | - Michael J Penkunas
- United Nations University International Institute for Global Health (UNU-IIGH), UNU-IIGH Building, UKM Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latif, 5600, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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13
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Olivares Olivares SL, Hernández RIE, Corolla MLT, Alvarez JPN, Sánchez-Mendiola M. MOOC Learning Assessment in Clinical Settings: Analysis from Quality Dimensions. Med Sci Educ 2021; 31:447-455. [PMID: 33457068 PMCID: PMC7794063 DOI: 10.1007/s40670-020-01178-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Online learning is becoming a fundamental modality of learning in medical education, and can be of great help during global crisis like the current COVID-19 pandemic. The MOOC (massive open online course) mode of e-learning is increasing its penetration worldwide, as a valid teaching approach to reach large populations. A major challenge in clinical education is the assessment of medical students and residents in clinical settings, and there is substantial evidence that the current situation requires improvement. The goal of this study was to evaluate the quality dimensions of a MOOC titled "Learning assessment in clinical settings," developed by three Mexican universities in the Coursera platform. A mixed-method study design was used to assess the quality dimensions of the MOOC in two phases: pilot and implementation. The best-rated aspects were learning resources and pedagogical perspective, and those with opportunity for improvement were collaboration and time management. Assessment might be learned through a MOOC format, especially for participants willing to engage with educational technology and self-direction.
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Barteit S, Sié A, Yé M, Depoux A, Louis VR, Sauerborn R. Lessons learned on teaching a global audience with massive open online courses (MOOCs) on health impacts of climate change: a commentary. Global Health 2019; 15:52. [PMID: 31438984 PMCID: PMC6704632 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-019-0494-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The adverse health impacts of climate change are increasing on a global level. However, knowledge about climate change and health is still unavailable to many global citizens, in particular on adaptation measures and co-benefits of health mitigation. Educational technologies, such as massive open online courses (MOOCs), may have a high potential for providing access to information about climate change links to health for a global audience. MAIN BODY We developed three MOOCs addressing the link between climate change and health to take advantage of the methodology's broad reach and accelerate knowledge dissemination on the nexus of climate change and health. The primary objective was to translate an existing face-to-face short course that only reached a few participants on climate change and health into globally accessible learning opportunities. In the following, we share and comment on our lessons learned with the three MOOCs, with a focus on global teaching in the realm of climate change and health. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the three MOOCs attracted a global audience with diverse educational backgrounds, and a large number of participants from low-income countries. Our experience highlights that MOOCs may play a part in global capacity building, potentially for other health-related topics as well, as we have found that our MOOCs have attracted participants within low-resource contexts. MOOCs may be an effective method for teaching and training global students on health topics, in this case on the complex links and dynamics between climate change and health and may further act as an enabler for equitable access to quality education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Barteit
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Ali Sié
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Maurice Yé
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Anneliese Depoux
- Centre Virchow-Villermé for Public Health Paris-Berlin, Université Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Groupe de Recherches Interdisciplinaires sur les Processus d'Information et de Communication (GRIPIC), Université Paris Sorbonne, Paris, France
| | - Valérie R Louis
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rainer Sauerborn
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
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15
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Maxwell WD, Fabel PH, Diaz V, Walkow JC, Kwiek NC, Kanchanaraksa S, Wamsley M, Chen A, Bookstaver PB. Massive open online courses in U.S. healthcare education: Practical considerations and lessons learned from implementation. Curr Pharm Teach Learn 2018; 10:736-743. [PMID: 30025774 DOI: 10.1016/j.cptl.2018.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2016] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) offer an innovative approach to pharmacy education and are expected to challenge traditional pedagogy and foundational knowledge acquisition practices. A survey of the literature reveals no current publications describing implementation of MOOCs in pharmacy education and limited information about MOOC implementation in other healthcare disciplines in the United States. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING A few colleges of pharmacy (COPs) and other health professions' educational programs have recently started offering MOOCs. FINDINGS Herein we provide an overview of MOOCs and describe the early implementation stages of MOOCs being conducted at two COPs, an interprofessional MOOC, and a variety of MOOCs offered by a public health program. This overview and the four case studies on MOOC implementation in healthcare education provide practical information about course development, descriptions of selected course engagement outcomes, insight into lessons learned by the institutions, and practical considerations for development of future MOOCs. DISCUSSION MOOCs prompt diversification of models of teaching and learning, transformation of pedagogical frameworks, and innovation in the scholarship of teaching and learning. SUMMARY MOOCs offer exciting opportunities to distribute knowledge on a massive and global scale to a diverse population of learners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Whitney D Maxwell
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208, United States.
| | - Patricia H Fabel
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208, United States.
| | - Veronica Diaz
- EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, EDUCAUSE, 4452 South Oregon Court, Chandler, AZ 85248, United States.
| | - Janet C Walkow
- The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy, 1 University Station A1900, Austin, TX 78712, United States.
| | - Nicole C Kwiek
- The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, 136A Parks Hall, 500 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, United States.
| | - Sukon Kanchanaraksa
- Center for Teaching and Learning, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2021 East Monument Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Maria Wamsley
- Department of Medicine, UCSF School of Medicine, 1545 Divisadero Street, San Francisco, CA 94143-0320, United States.
| | - Angel Chen
- Department of Family Health Care Nursing, University of California San Francisco School of Nursing, 2 Koret Way, N411J, Box 0606, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States.
| | - P Brandon Bookstaver
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208, United States.
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