TRAINING & EDUCATION Breaking from Convention
Dr David Whitehead, Programme Lead for the MSc Care of The Elderly course at post graduate online lea diversity and broader knowledge within care.
Coronavirus has changed a lot about the way we work, both within and outside care. And while many of these changes have caused disruption, some aspects of the way the sector has pivoted to cope with the pandemic will undoubtedly improve things for those who provide care and ultimately those who are cared for.
As a lot more of our lives move online from the comfort of our homes, the gathering momentum of online learning could help make sure the care sector is better prepared for the challenges it faces than ever before.
Traditional postgraduate training for care sector operatives can involve a lot of sitting around in lecture theatres being told what you need to know, with teaching delivered in traditionally pedagogical ways – the ‘sage on the stage’ approach. However, it is widely proven that we learn best when exposed to andragogical ways of learning, where the process of learning is directed by the student themselves.
“It is widely proven that we learn best when exposed to
andragogical ways of learning, where the process of
learning is directed by the student themselves.”
And this is where self-directed online education programmes, like the Care of The Elderly MSc that I lead at online learning platform, Learna, excel. Programmes like these afford learners a greater degree of interaction with both tutors and their fellow students, many of whom can be located anywhere in the world, which in turn provides a richer diversity of people to study alongside.
BOOSTING DIVERSITY
Online learning allows a more diverse range of people to attend courses. It naturally breaks down international borders in a way that’s far more democratic than the traditional in-person learning experience ever could be.
Many of our students are based internationally and working in healthcare systems around the world — this gives a wonderful opportunity to learn and share knowledge with peers from a wide range of backgrounds.
So, in effect, UK-based students could be learning alongside students in sub-Saharan Africa, whose clinical experiences will be so vastly different from their own. It’s this interaction
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between students, both domestic and international, as well as between students and teachers, that delivers the globalised learning/education experience that the sector needs to move towards.
The development of online education also means that programmes and courses might become more attainable for wannabe students who have had the desire to learn before, but not the financial means. Not only are online courses cheaper than in-person learning experiences, but they can be fitted in around other important life commitments like jobs and families.
ENHANCING MULTIDISCIPLINARY KNOW-HOW Our learners are postgraduate students who come from a
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