Abstract
BackgroundJunior doctors in the UK must complete various educational components during their two year Foundation training programme. It is important that mandatory learning is informative and engaging. The aim of this study was to evaluate trainee doctors’ perceptions of a Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) programme developed to improve prescribing competency.MethodFocus groups and interviews were conducted at three hospital sites in the West Midlands. Codes, sub-themes and themes were determined using deductive and inductive thematic analysis.ResultsData were collected from 38 Foundation trainee doctors. Results revealed major themes relating to prescribing education, the user experience and user engagement. Key findings included the positive impact of preparedness following undergraduate education on the user experience of the TEL programme at the postgraduate level; the impact of content, structure, and individual learning needs and styles on the user experience; and the impact of motivation and time on engagement. Most trainees engaged with the programme owing to its mandatory nature; however, some trainees also used the programme voluntarily, for example, to acquire knowledge prior to starting a new placement.ConclusionsIt is important to ensure that learners are willing to engage with mandatory TEL, and that they have the time and motivation to do so. It is also important to ensure that learners have a positive user experience and that in designing TEL individual differences in learning styles and needs are taken into account. These findings have implications for educators and system developers in the construction and design of mandatory eLearning programmes.
Highlights
The Foundation training programme for UK junior doctors involves a demanding schedule, including various mandatory educational components [1]
Data were collected from 38 Foundation trainee doctors
Key findings included the positive impact of preparedness following undergraduate education on the user experience of the Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) programme at the postgraduate level; the impact of content, structure, and individual learning needs and styles on the user experience; and the impact of motivation and time on engagement
Summary
The Foundation training programme for UK junior doctors (those in their first two years after qualifying with a medical degree from university, equivalent to junior residency years; F1 and F2) involves a demanding schedule, including various mandatory educational components [1]. Various forms of TEL have been incorporated into medical education, including smartphone applications [4], flipped classrooms [5], and eLearning [6] Such learning may be as effective as traditional face-to-face teaching methods and offers many benefits for the learner [7]. Junior doctors in the UK must complete various educational components during their two year Foundation training programme. The aim of this study was to evaluate trainee doctors’ perceptions of a Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) programme developed to improve prescribing competency. Following completion of the post-test questions, a certificate of completion can be viewed and downloaded by the user for their mandatory online learning portfolio (ePortfolio), which trainees are required to complete during the Foundation training programme. Bi-annual progression review meetings are held between Foundation trainees and their clinical tutor in early March and early June, for which the trainee must have prepared specific items in their ePortfolio for submission and evaluation as part of the annual review of competence progression within the Foundation training programme
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