E-learning includes all forms of electronic learning. While this is often through computers, these days smartphones are also used. E-learning also comes in different forms in healthcare. Through live webinars or e-learning games, healthcare workers are trained or retrained. These digital learning methods have various advantages. You can read what those advantages are in this article.
1. More flexibility for healthcare workers
The first advantage is that e-learning can be used anywhere and anytime. Think of a digital training platform where employees can learn when it suits them, or an educational serious game they can play at home on the couch in the evening. With e-learning, care workers get more flexibility in where and when they want to learn, which leads to decreased workload.
An example of this benefit can be seen in the training of surgeons. They generally practice via simulation or cadaver. Both forms of learning can only be used in a hospital, and often only one surgeon at a time. A serious game like Underground, which also allows surgeons to practice, can be played anywhere and the number of users is unlimited.
2. E-learning: repeat until you get it right
When you give a physical workshop or lesson on a particular subject, the staff must pay close attention. The workshop cannot be repeated if you forget or don’t understand a part of it the next day. This is why, for example, webinars are so nice. Send participants the recordings of the webinar afterwards, and they can watch it again at their own pace and when it suits them. Later in this article, we will also discuss serious games. Here you play short levels in an extensive game story. Here, too, you can replay levels to improve your score, which leads to better knowledge transfer.
3. Training via e-learning is practical and scalable
From a healthcare organization’s perspective, e-learning also offers advantages. The healthcare industry is evolving at a rapid pace. With new technologies, changing regulations, and certifications, care workers must constantly evolve with them. This makes it difficult to organize physical workshops and to get all the care staff together. Often, a physical workshop is also limited in the number of Participants you can host.
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Additionally, the content of an educational or training program may need to be adjusted continuously. In an e-learning platform, you can easily make changes and additions. The users have immediate access and are thus always updated on new learning materials.
4. Performance analysis via e-learning is simple
As a healthcare institution, you want to keep a grip on the progress and performance of your employees. And perhaps the care staff need to attain certain scores to meet the requirements. E-learning provides insight into the performance of all employees. All performance data is sent to one database and can easily be viewed on a clear dashboard. This allows you to make immediate adjustments where necessary.
5. E-learning motivates care workers
In addition to all the practical advantages you’ve just read about, there is another big advantage: e-learning is motivating. One reason for this is the visual appeal and playful user experience in e-learning products. Users experience more positive emotions in the learning process and become intrinsically motivated to continue learning. Some concrete examples of motivating factors are:
- A progress bar
- Instant feedback after completing a chapter or level
- Rewards, scores, and leaderboards
- Interactive modules or quizzes
- Competition against other users
There are a variety of e-learning products. Think of a course with videos or text, an interactive quiz, a game, or a webinar. Each product has its characteristics and degree of motivation.
Serious games for medical training
Serious games are also a form of e-learning. Serious games are just as fun as games for entertainment, but are an effective means to transfer knowledge, change behavior or teach skills.
Serious games offer all the advantages we have mentioned in this article. They can be played anywhere, levels can be repeated until the player reaches the perfect score and they reduce workload.
In the area of motivation, serious games go one step further. The learning material is acquired in an attractive game world with a high entertainment value. Players want to know how the game story ends and are thus motivated to learn longer. In this article, we tell more about the motivating factors of serious games and why they are so effective in motivating people.
Want to know more about e-learning or serious games to motivate healthcare professionals? Please contact Tim Laning to discuss it:
