Abstract
The prevalence of dementia is escalating world-wide and knowledge deficits remain a barrier to community inclusiveness and quality care. The need for quality, comprehensive education has been identified as a key priority for global action plans on dementia. The Understanding Dementia Massive Open Online Course (UDMOOC) offers the potential to improve dementia knowledge globally. Completion rates for the UDMOOC (2016–2017) were on average 42% of enrolments, and 69% of participants care or have cared for people with dementia. The current study shows baseline dementia knowledge was positively related to previous learning about dementia from various types of exposure to the condition including having family members and/or working with people with the condition, and having undertaken dementia education. However, knowledge of all participant groups showed substantial improvements after completion of the UDMOOC. This was shown regardless of educational background and previous experience of dementia, and group differences after completing the UDMOOC were minimised. The UDMOOC is therefore an effective knowledge translation strategy to improve dementia knowledge for a diverse, international learner group.
Highlights
The number of people living with dementia globally is approaching 50 million, with a projected tripling of that number predicted by 2050
The completion rate was 42.01% (±0.53%). Participants of both the Understanding Dementia Massive Open Online Course (UDMOOC) and DKAS comprised a high proportion of mid-aged females with current or previous experience providing professional or family care to people with dementia, nearly half without a university-level qualification (Table 1)
This study examined changes to dementia knowledge associated with completing the Understanding Dementia Massive open online courses (MOOCs), and further, the role of experiential learning and dementia education in the acquisition of this knowledge about dementia
Summary
The number of people living with dementia globally is approaching 50 million, with a projected tripling of that number predicted by 2050. Carers learn largely by trial and error, active information seeking, application of previous knowledge or skills and being guided by others.[14] unregulated care workers/assistants,[15] as well as health care students,[16] gain knowledge through experience, in addition to more formal training opportunities
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