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Volume 29 (4)
Volume 29, Issue 4, Fall 2009
J Contin Educ Health Prof 2009; 29(4): 235
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
UK health-care professionals' experience of on-line learning techniques: A systematic review of qualitative data
Christopher Carroll, Andrew Booth, Diana Papaioannou, Anthea Sutton, Ruth Wong
A b s t r a c t
Introduction: Continuing professional development and education is vital to the provision of better health services
and outcomes. The aim of this study is to contribute to the evidence base by performing a systematic review of
qualitative data from studies reporting health professionals’ experience of e-learning. No such previous review has
been published.
Method: A systematic review of qualitative data reporting UK health professionals’ experiences of the ways in
which on-line learning is delivered by higher education and other relevant institutions. Evidence synthesis was
performed with the use of thematic analysis grounded in the data.
Results: Literature searches identified 19 relevant studies. The subjects of the studies were nurses, midwives, and
allied professions (8 studies), general practitioners and hospital doctors (6 studies), and a range of different health
practitioners (5 studies). The majority of courses were stand-alone continuing professional development modules.
Five key themes emerged from the data: peer communication, flexibility, support, knowledge validation, and course
presentation and design.
Discussion: The effectiveness of on-line learning is mediated by the learning experience. If they are to enhance
health professionals’ experience of e-learning, courses need to address presentation and course design; they must
be flexible, offer mechanisms for both support and rapid assessment, and develop effective and efficient means
of communication, especially among the students themselves.
Lessons For Practice
- Course designers and providers need to consider issues regarding flexibility, assessment, learner interaction, and presentation.
- Courses need to provide mechanisms to support both learners and tutors.
- This review concerned UK health professionals only; a similar synthesis needs to be performed of evidence for health professionals in other countries.
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