Inclusive Learning for the Rural Healthcare Professional

Abstract

The focus of this chapter is on health care manager's need to develop equal learning opportunities in rural communities. Educational opportunities for healthcare professionals in the rural facilities often get overlooked and/or require more effort to obtain the same level of training as their urban counterparts (Buzza, Ono,Turvey, Whittrock, Noble, Reddy, Kaboli, & Schacht, 2011; Hartung, Hamer, Middleton, Haxby, & Fagnan, 2012). Education and self-directed learning (SDL) promotes emancipatory learning and social action (Lindeman, 1926; Merriam & Caffarella, 1999). It provides a way to minimize the gap in learning opportunities for those serving rural communities. Intentionally integrating socio-cognitive and critical pedagogy (Kincheloe, 2008) into their learning engagement can influence the necessary emotional, motivational, and cognitive engagement. The factors considered for this rural population---- include: diversity of staff (i.e., socioeconomic background, cultural differences, learning abilities, and lived experiences), available resources (i.e., computer equipment, speed of internet connection, funding, and staff resources), and the connectedness between the learner and the educator.