Designing the programme
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Running the programme
Outcomes from the programme
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Designing the programme
Back in 1998, I was approached to create a health informatics postgraduate programme. Although hosted at a university, and leading to an academic award, the purpose of the programme was too upscale the NHS workforce in health informatics.
The potential learners were all working in the NHS or similar care organisations with a range of posts both clinical and administrative. We calculated that in order to create a viable programme and meet the needs of the NHS it would be necessary to attract learners from all over the country.
Therefore, the decision was taken to adopt a blended learning approach. Because of the requirements of the university there would be a loose timetable with three sessions of 13 weeks each. Within each session there were allocated activities for each week and deadlines for 3 formative assessments and two summative assessments. However, in practice, the learners had a degree of flexibility and could work at their own pace provided that they submitted the two summative assessments on time. In the event that other life commitments got in the way they were able to use extenuating circumstances for late submissions.
A new learning model was developed for the programme. We took advantage of the online format to base the learning heavily on primary sources including many dealing with practical applications relevant to the learners’ professional roles.
A blended format was built around two weekend residentials a year where we focused on activities benefiting from a high degree of interaction. The learning model was loosely based on my own experience of the Oxford tutorial system where I spent 10 hours a week in lectures with 180 other undergraduates and one hour a week in a highly interactive tutorial.
We developed a novel assessment strategy where the learners took what they had learned on the programme and applied it to a work situation.
When the programme started, there was no learning management system available. The online materials were provided on a CD-ROM with the links via the Internet to life resources such as research articles.
The learners could join the programme for one two or three years depending on the desired level of development, and the academic award that provided the evidence of that achievement.
Running the programme
The programme first ran online in 1999. It has run continuously ever since. After a few years, the programme was transferred to run via a learning management system.
In 2010, the university downscaled the team running the programme, in spite of the programme continuing to recruit a similar number of learners. The learning model was shifted to an entirely online model as it was no longer possible to run the residential weekends. The impact of this loss was mitigated by increased online support assisted by the fact that the team running the programme were by now very experienced in supporting learners online and identifying their needs.
The purely online delivery enabled the programme to attract learners from outside the UK and this opened up new markets and enabled the programme to remain sustainable.
Feedback from the learners highlighted the importance of prompt high quality feedback to prevent learners feeling isolated and losing confidence when struggling with difficult tasks or concepts. The learners indicated that it was important that they knew support was available although most of the time they did not take advantage of it, because they didn’t need it. The fact that support was available gave the learners the confidence to take control of their own learning and only make use of support asking when it was needed.
From an assessment of learner performance, there was no evidence that the loss of the residential weekends and the blended approach led to a reduction in the quality of learning, although those who had experienced the residential’s commented that they had really benefited in other ways from a sense of belonging to a cohort of learners, and the professional networking that had been possible as a result.
In recent years, one of the graduates of the programme has taken over the leadership of the programme. They are currently revamping many of the resources to take advantage of new technologies and tools available. However, the fundamental principles of the learning model remain unchanged.
Outcomes from the programme
Since its inception, the programme has supported the professional development of hundreds of NHS health informatics staff. Those completing the programme have gone on to take senior leadership roles as chief information officers and clinical information leads.
The NHS has recognised its contribution to the professional development of its staff by first of all accrediting the learning programme for its professional development awards and later adopting it as the educational component off the inaugural national programme for the development of leaders in information and knowledge management.
The learning model was later adopted as the basis for similar schemes funded by the European Union in collaboration with providers in Italy France and Romania.
The programme relies on many of the principles of adult learning that we have already discussed. The content is rooted in the professional role of the learners, and its assessment for the purpose of an academic award explicitly test the ability of learners to show how they have developed in their professional role through participating in the learning programme
At different stages, the programme has relied on first a blended and later a purely online approach. By refining delivery, this change of mode has not resulted in a diminution of the learning outcomes. Feedback from the learners and an assessment of their performance on the programme have shown they have been willing and able to take control of their own learning journey.
Although the programme continues to evolve in terms of the technology used, the defining characteristic of the programme remains its approach to learning tailored for adult learners seeking professional development.
For many years, the programme has outperformed other similar programmes delivered at the same university by conventional means, both in terms of completion rates and attainment based on assessment of the learning that has been achieved.