Co-designing multidisciplinary telehealth education for online learning
ISSN: 0965-4283
Article publication date: 7 December 2020
Issue publication date: 9 March 2022
Abstract
Purpose
There are growing expectations that students graduating from health courses and current health professionals have some proficiency in using telehealth. However, there is limited accessibility to multidisciplinary-based material to meet this need. This paper describes the development of an online telehealth education resource using a co-design approach and the strengths and challenges of embedding authentic learning principles in an open-access online course with a broad target audience.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors first describe the co-design process of the course and discuss the pedagogy underpinning the course design. Then learner enrolment data is discussed to evidence uptake across key characteristics. Finally, the authors assess the efficacy of the co-design approach by analysing feedback collected from learners at the end of the course.
Findings
The course is structured across four modules and comprises interactive content, reflective tasks, case studies and purposefully developed digital material. Responses from the working group and from learner feedback indicate that the course is an authentic and relevant introduction to telehealth practice for both health students and current health professionals, despite some limitations.
Originality/value
This case study demonstrates the value of a co-design process and key learning design choices in online course development to meet the educational needs of learners from broad disciplinary backgrounds, in various stages of learning/understanding of telehealth and/or requiring a practice-based resource in the context of a rapidly changing policy environment.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by Three Rivers University Department of Rural Health, funded by the Australian Government under the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program.
Citation
Cox, J.L., Seaman, C.E., Hyde, S., Freire, K.M. and Mansfield, J. (2022), "Co-designing multidisciplinary telehealth education for online learning", Health Education, Vol. 122 No. 2, pp. 164-179. https://doi.org/10.1108/HE-10-2020-0098
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited