The PAVE study (Physical Activity Virtual Education): development of reusable learning objects (RLOs) to enhance nursing students' knowledge and understanding of physical activity

The aim of this project was to design, build and test two sustainable reusable learning objects (RLOs) for physical activity (PA) and provide opportunities to assess changes in knowledge and self-reported behaviour following exposure. The RLOs developed for this project encourage self-directed learning and help to foster transformational learning and facilitate critical reflection. Specifically, this means that students will be able to work through the content independently and engage with the RLO at a time and place convenient to them – an important factor in nursing since our students spend a significant proportion of time outside of the university setting. This project supports the integration of new technologies into the traditional learning environment for health promotion. The RLOs will be used as an interactive medium to promote the understanding of physical activity as both a key public health issue and one that they need to address both professionally (through their role as a nurse) and personally (through applying what they learn to their own behaviour). Additionally, the project will support critical reflection on students’ learning, since there will be opportunities to assess students’ knowledge and behaviour change before and after they have engaged with the RLOs

Reusable learning objects in healthcare education

This chapter will review the definition, development and characteristics of reusable learning objects (RLOs) and outline examples of how these resources are meeting the challenges of interprofessional learning. It will discuss the ways in which pedagogy is developed and expressed within RLOs and how this may impact on interprofessionality

Case studies of creating reusable inter professional e-learning objects

Reusable learning objects can play an important part in enhancing interprofessional learning. They provide flexible support to students of health care and provide an opportunity during the creation process, for interprofessional educators to share knowledge and understand more about each other’s roles. When creating learning objects, a development and evaluation framework including technical expertise and quality control at critical stages is important, however it is the interprofessional community brought together at workshops at the start of the development cycle and the underlying pedagogical design principles that ensure the materials are fit for purpose and guarantee reuse across professional groups

Understanding technology adoption and use by healthcare proferssionals using models of technology acceptance and q-methodology

This study explores the use of models of technology acceptance (TAM and UTAUT) to understand technology adoption and use among healthcare professionals (HCPs) in the clinical area in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Six themes were developed from both models and this generated forty-six specific statements that explore those barriers and motivators to e-health adoption and use in clinical practice. Each HCP ranked each of the statements based on how they agree or disagree with the statement in order to identify a shared perspective using Q-methodology; a methodology that explores subjectivity. Thirty-six HCPs working in the clinical area in SSA participated in the study. Analysis was done using a Q-methodology dedicated software called the PQMethod 2.35. Four perspectives identifying the aspect(s) of the model the HCPs identify to influence their use of technology in their clinical practice. Keywords: Q-methodology, Technology-Acceptance-Model (TAM), Unified-Theory-of-Acceptance-and-Use-of-Technology (UTAUT), Healthcare professional

Semantic web, reusable learning objects, personal learning networks in health: key pieces for digital health literacy

The knowledge existing in the World Wide Web is exponentially expanding, while continuous advancements in health sciences contribute to the creation of new knowledge. There are a lot of efforts trying to identify how the social connectivity can endorse patients' empowerment, while other studies look at the identification and the quality of online materials. However, emphasis has not been put on the big picture of connecting the existing resources with the patients “new habits” of learning through their own Personal Learning Networks. In this paper we propose a framework for empowering patients' digital health literacy adjusted to patients' currents needs by utilizing the contemporary way of learning through Personal Learning Networks, existing high quality learning resources and semantics technologies for interconnecting knowledge pieces. The framework based on the concept of knowledge maps for health as defined in this paper. Health Digital Literacy needs definitely further enhancement and the use of the proposed concept might lead to useful tools which enable use of understandable health trusted resources tailored to each person need

Exploring healthcare professionals adoption and use of Information and Communication Technology using Q-methodology and Models of Technology Acceptance

Background: Information and communication technologies (ICTs) and more specifically e-health are viewed as important tools within healthcare. They are used to support clinical activities such as interactions between healthcare professionals and patients, clinical self-development, patient education, routine clinical activities, and also have the potential to address many challenges affecting healthcare sectors globally. However, there is still limited information on how technologies are adopted and used within clinical practice by health professionals particularly in countries in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). Methodology: This study used Q-methodology and models of technology acceptance (TAM and UTUAT) to explore the factors that influence ICT adoption among nurses and physicians in clinical practice in SSA. Thirty six participants from a tertiary hospital in SSA conducted Q-sorts of 46 statements relating to their interaction with technologies in their clinical practice. Results: Four factors; the patient-driven adopters, the task-driven adopters, the pragmatists and the e-health champions emerged after Q-analysis representing the distinct views of this group of healthcare professionals. Conclusion: The findings suggest different viewpoints to the adoption and use of e-health resources in clinical practise. These views may help understand how these health professionals make their choices when it comes to ICT in health care

Internet competency predicts practical hearing aid knowledge and skills in first-time hearing aid users

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to assess whether Internet competency predicted practical hearing aid knowledge and handling skills in first-time hearing aid users. Method. The design was a prospective, randomized controlled trial of a multimedia educational intervention consisting of interactive video tutorials (or reusable learning objects [RLOs]). RLOs were delivered through DVD for TV or PC, and online. Internet competency was measured at the hearing aid fitting appointment, whereas hearing aid knowledge and practical handling skills were assessed 6 weeks postfitting. Results. Internet competency predicted practical hearing aid knowledge and handling skills, controlling for age, hearing sensitivity, educational status, and gender for the group that received the RLOs. Internet competency was inversely related to the number of times the RLOs were watched. Conclusion. Associations between Internet competency and practical hearing aid knowledge, handling skills, and watching the RLOs fewer times may have arisen because of improved self-efficacy. Therefore, first-time hearing aid users who are more competent Internet users may be better equipped to apply newly learned information to effectively manage their hearing loss

eHealth adoption and use among healthcare professionals in a tertiary hospital in Sub-Saharan Africa: a Qmethodology study

Copyright 2019 Ladan et al. Background. The aim of the study was to explore the viewpoints of healthcare professionals (HCPs) on the adoption and use of eHealth in clinical practice in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Information and communication technologies (ICTs) including eHealth provide HCPs the opportunity to provide quality healthcare to their patients while also improving their own clinical practices. Despite this, previous research has identified these technologies have their associated challenges when adopting them for clinical practice. But more research is needed to identify how these eHealth resources influence clinical practice. In addition, there is still little information about adoption and use of these technologies by HCPs inclinical practice in Sub-Saharan Africa. Method. An exploratory descriptive design was adopted for this study. Thirty-six (36) HCPs (18 nurses and 18 physicians) working in the clinical area in a tertiary health institution in SSA participated in this study. Using Qmethodology, study participants rank-ordered forty-six statementsin relation to their adoption and use of eHealth within their clinical practice.This was analysed using by-person factor analysis and complemented with audio-taped interviews. Results. The analysis yielded four factors i.e., distinct viewpoints the HCPs hold about adoption and use of eHealth within their clinical practice. These factors include: Patient-focused eHealth advocates" who use the eHealth because they are motivated by patients and their families preferences; Task-focused eHealth advocates" use eHealth because it helps them complete clinical tasks; Traditionalistic-pragmatists" recognise contributions eHealth makes in clinical practice but separate from their routine clinical activities; and the Tech-focused eHealth advocates" who use the eHealth because they are motivated by the technology itself. Conclusion. The study shows the equivocal viewpoints that HCPs have about eHealth within their clinical practice. This, in addition to adding to existing literature, will help policymakers/decision makers to consider HCPs views about these technologies prior to implementing an eHealth resource

Towards understanding healthcare professionals’ adoption and use of technologies in clinical practice: using Qmethodology and models of technology acceptance

Background: Globally, technologies have been recognised to improve productivity across different areas of practice including healthcare. This has been achieved by the expansion of computers and other forms of information technologies (IT). Despite this advancement, there have also been growing challenges to the adoption and use of these technologies within practice sometimes with unintended or unexpected consequences. However, the barriers and drivers to IT, and more specifically e-health adoption within healthcare are little understood, especially in areas such as Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where e-health adoption is relatively new. Methodology: This paper describes a pilot study to develop and validate sample statements for use within a later substantive Q-methodology study. The aim of the main study was to understand factors that influence healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) attitudes towards IT adoption and use in SSA. We report on the use of this methodology to explore the subjectivity of HCPs together with the models of technology acceptance (Technology-Acceptance-Model: TAM and the Unified-Theory-of-Acceptance-and-Use-of-Technology: UTUAT) used in combination for the first time. Results: Following various stages and mapping of the two models of technology acceptance used, forty-six statements were developed at the end of the pilot study. These statements were grouped into six themes to capture the constructs of the two models used in the study. Conclusion: Findings suggest it is possible to use TAM and UTAUT to develop a comprehensive set of statements. These statements reflect choices that HCPs consider on IT/e-health adoption and use in SSA which can be used in a Q study. Keywords: E-health, Q-methodology, Healthcare professionals, Technology Acceptance Model, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, Sub-Saharan Africa

Building and sustaining collaboration in cross sector e-learning development

This chapter will focus on the process of building and sustaining collaborative reusable e-learning object development across three educational sectors, Higher Education (HE), the UK National Health Service (NHS) and Further Education (FE) Colleges, using the LOLA project as a case study. A qualitative evaluation of ‘process’ ran alongside the entirety of the LOLA project. This chapter reports the findings of this qualitative research, and analyses how collaboration was achieved between the diverse institutions who were project partners. The strengths of this approach included the commitment of the team members to collaboration, while practical challenges included the location of the team members, but also wider issues in the institutions involved, and in particular, the role of the Media Developer and the perception of it by other team members