The Public Health Learning Network is the nation's most comprehensive system of educators, public health experts, and thought leaders whose mission is to advance public health practice and improve population health in the United States. One of 10 regional centers in the Public Health Learning Network, the Midwestern Public Health Training Center Regional Coordinating Center has developed expertise in the development of competency-based eLearning to meet the training needs of the public health and health care workforce. eLearning has become a widely used method for providing online training to strengthen a learner's knowledge, skills, and attitudes. This article discusses the use of the analysis, design, development, implement, and evaluate model as a standard for instructional design and best practice elements of eLearning. Two examples of eLearning programs are provided, along with data on level of interactivity and Kirkpatrick Level 1 and 2 evaluation results. Evaluation data indicate that users' experiences have been positive.
Background
The Changing Talk (CHAT) intervention successfully improves nursing home (NH) staff communication by reducing elderspeak. However, providing CHAT in NHs is challenging and costly due to presenter travel and staff scheduling. To facilitate dissemination of the CHAT communication training program, the traditional classroom format was modified and interactive online modules were created. The goal was to maintain the content and effectiveness of the original classroom format but to extend access to larger numbers of NH staff. This article reports on the process of transitioning the onsite didactic program to interactive online modules and reports the results of pilot testing evaluating the outcomes of the online modules in comparison to the traditional classroom format.
Methods
Interactive online modules were developed, pilot tested, and the evaluation results were compared to those of participants who previously completed the classroom format training.
Results
Online participants (N=9) demonstrated increased scores on pre and posttest assessments (improved from M=82.4 % to M=91.2 %). Participant ratings of a recorded staff-resident interaction showed improved recognition of elderspeak and person-centered communication after training. Online participants responded similarly to questions on the Modified Diffusion of Innovation Scale, suggesting that online participants had similar intentions to use learned skills in their practice. The majority of participants who completed the program evaluation rated the program highly on all aspects and reported “a great deal of improvement” on the training objectives.
Conclusions
These results suggest that an evidence-based intervention can be translated from traditional classroom to online format maintaining effects on increasing staff knowledge and intentions to use learned skills in practice. However, the modules should be tested in a larger and more representative sample.
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