Why a VLE?

Concerned by the need for a consolidated approach to e-learning in our region, Dr Gordon French became interested in exploring the potential of acquiring a Learning Management System (a Virtual Learning Environment or VLE) to address the issue.

Gordon’s thoughts were that with an East Midlands Deanery approved VLE we would have the opportunity to share e-learning materials and the platform between postgraduate schools and Trusts, thereby reducing the costs and duplication of training resources across the region and increasing quality in training at the same time:

• Equitable and easy access to high quality eLearning resources available for all within the region.

• Travel costs for those attending lecture based courses – eLearning materials can be used as a substitute or as a supplement.

• Time to attend courses – eLearning can be undertaken in shorter learning sessions and also at the department and staff members’ convenience.

• Learning departments currently procure their own e-learning materials which can cost in excess of £25,000 for a three year contract. Through VLE, materials are shared throughout NHS East Midlands, which means one cost for several thousand learners!!

Initial steps: a collaborative work!

Following collaboration with the Universities of London, Bath and Leicester, Gordon started a pilot with a view for the Deanery to implement its own VLE based on the “Moodle” platform across all Schools and Programmes.

Initially, a pilot was launched in August 2009 with representatives from 3 Schools (Medicine South, Anaesthesia South and General Practice) to evaluate the use of VLEs for postgraduate medical training within specialty schools across East Midlands.

Today, over 5,200 active users are recorded on the VLE, which bears some 100+ courses and short modules with full representation across the Schools. A VLE manager (Dr Kate Pavlidou) has been appointed who has been instrumental in organising specialist training in the VLE and advising on best practice.

Inter-professional practice thrives!

A recent example of the VLE crossing the boundaries was observed when our Paediatric colleagues in Leicester developed a number of modules on the VLE including “Child Safeguarding”, “Childhood Immunisations”, “Looking after Children” and “Educational Medicine”.

Arrangements were made for GP trainees to access these modules, which the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service team from the School of Psychiatry also embraced: 

“These modules are very important to the GP registrars who, in increasing numbers, are trained in our departments, as a knowledge base for the clinical work they do in SEN and disability. By making it available in this way, it reaches the broader audience that don't rotate to us and saves them the exposure to a really dry tutorial\lecture. It also acts as a resource....Also, for those in GP generally that wish to 'specialise' in the interface with Education, or are by default required to, the whole Educational Medicine module is a valuable resource to dip into to orient oneself to what is and is not feasible in supporting one's patients” explains a Consultant in Child Health.

www.vle.eastmidlandsdeanery.nhs.uk

An innovative, cost effective approach to sharing eLearning across the East Midlands

Learning solutions for next generation of healthcare professionals! For example, the School of Surgery South, promotes a reflective, collaborative, problem-solving approach (via the VLE on-line discussion forums), as well as opportunities for mutual feedback: 

The School of Anesthesia North has already embraced learning solutions for the next generation of healthcare professionals such as Twitter, Facebook and RSS feeds:

 A Deanery-wide VLE Steering group is now in place to set the strategic direction for the VLE and in line with the recent Department of Health policy, which emphasizes the need for commissioners and providers of health and social care to deliver high quality, cost effective education, training and continuing development to the workforce for the benefit of patients through the effective use of technology as part of a blended learning process:

 

Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)