An online training resource for clinicians to optimise exercise prescription for persistent low back pain: Design, development and usability testing.

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide. A recent realist review identified the behavioural mechanisms of trust, motivation, and confidence as key to optimising exercise prescription for persistent LBP. OBJECTIVES: Our objectives were to (1) design and develop an online training programme, and (2) gain end-user feedback on the useability, usefulness, informativeness and confidence in using the online training programme using a mixed-methods, pre-post study design. PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTION: The online training programme was designed and developed using the results from a realist review, and input from a multi-disciplinary stakeholder group. A five-module online training programme was piloted by the first 10 respondents who provided feedback on the course. Further modifications were made prior to additional piloting. The satisfaction, usefulness, ease of use, and confidence of clinicians in applying the learned principles were assessed on completion. RESULTS: The online programme was advertised to clinicians using social media. Forty-four respondents expressed initial interest, of which 22 enrolled and 18 completed the course. Of the participants, most were physiotherapists (n = 16/18, 88.9%), aged between 30 and 49 (n = 11/18, 61.1%). All participants were satisfied with the course content, rated the course platform as easy to use and useful, and reported that they were very confident to apply the learning. Most (n = 10/14, 71.4%) reported that their manner of prescribing exercise had changed after completion of the course. CONCLUSIONS: An online training programme to optimise exercise prescription for persistent LBP appears to be easy to use, informative and improves confidence to apply the learning.

A quasi-experiment on using guided mobile learning interventions in ESL classrooms: Time use and academic performance.

This quasi-experimental study examined a guided learning approach towards the use of mobile devices and investigated the performance of language learners who were guided in the usage. A total of 419 students from two faculties were invited to participate in this 8-week intervention, 155 participants in the control group and 264 in the experimental group. In the experimental group, the researchers incorporated guided activities Module Intervention Model (MIM) using mobile devices into the ESL lessons whereas the control group lessons were without guided activities. Participants from both groups were asked to record their daily mobile device use for activities related to English language learning using an online form. These data were compared to the results of the tests conducted pre- and post-treatment. At the end of the study, students who received guided language activities utilizing the mobile devices had significantly higher levels of language performance than control group students. However, treatment group students who spent more time using mobile devices to learn the language did not display better performance compared to those who spent minimal time. This finding re-established the importance of guided activities as intervention to facilitate students' learning and points to the need for curricular modernization and faculty development in the instructional use of technology. Due to the increased need for online instruction precipitated by "social distancing and isolation' required to overcome the coronavirus pandemic, the need for faculty to acquire skills in guided use of mobile devices for school-related learning is anticipated to be greater than ever.

Teaching concepts of transesophageal echocardiography via Web-based modules.

OBJECTIVES: Teaching transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) remains challenging. The authors hypothesized that using online modules with live teaching in an echo training course would be feasible and result in superior knowledge acquisition to live teaching only. DESIGN: In this prospective cohort study, the authors implemented a TEE course with online modules and live teaching and compared it to a live-teaching-only version. SETTING: The online-and-live-teaching version of the course consisted of online modules and live sessions at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), an academic medical center. The live-teaching-only version consisted of live sessions at BIDMC. PARTICIPANTS: Course participants included anesthesia trainees at BIDMC. INTERVENTIONS: Trainees taking the online-and-live-teaching version viewed online modules before live review lectures and simulation. Trainees taking the live-teaching-only version viewed live lectures before simulation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Twenty-seven trainees completed the online-and-live-teaching version; six completed the live-teaching-only version. Trainees took a course exam after the first and last live sessions. For the online-and-live-teaching version, average pretest and posttest scores were 62.0%±13.7% and 77.5%±8.1%, respectively; pretest and posttest passing (≥70%) rates were 29.6% and 85.2%, respectively. Compared to the live-teaching-only version, the average pretest score was not significantly different (p=0.17), but the average posttest score was significantly higher (p=0.01). Trainee comfort with, and knowledge of, TEE increased after both versions. Trainees rated the utility of the live lectures and online modules similarly. CONCLUSIONS: A multimodal TEE curriculum increased trainees' knowledge of TEE concepts and had a positive reception from trainees.

Online versus Live Delivery of Education to Pharmacists in a Large Multicentre Health Region: A Non-inferiority Assessment of Learning Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of online modules for continuing education in the health professions has been increasing in recent years. However, the effectiveness of online modules for pharmacist learning has not been thoroughly studied. OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of this study was to determine if providing education to pharmacists through a self-paced enhanced online module was non-inferior to a face-to-face learning module with respect to knowledge application on the topic of postoperative insulin dosing. Secondary aims were to determine pharmacists' knowledge gain and retention, as well as their satisfaction with the modules. METHODS: The participants in this prospective, randomized, parallel-group non-inferiority trial were pharmacists in a large multicentre health region. Outcomes were measured by comparing scores obtained on pre- and post-module knowledge-assessment questionnaires. A between-group difference in change on knowledge application scores of less than 25 percentage points was the predetermined non-inferiority margin. RESULTS: A total of 74 pharmacists consented to participate, 38 randomly assigned to use the enhanced online module and 36 to attend the face-to-face learning session. For questions examining knowledge application, the mean improvement achieved by the online learning group was 26 percentage points greater than that achieved by the face-to-face learning group (95% confidence interval [CI] 25 to 27; p < 0.001). For questions testing knowledge gain, the improvement achieved by the online learning group was 7 percentage points less than that achieved by the face-to-face learning group (95% CI 2 to 12; p = 0.008). Therefore, the enhanced online module was deemed to be non-inferior to the face-to-face learning session in terms of knowledge application and knowledge gain. Insufficient data were available to analyze the secondary outcome of knowledge retention over time. Participant satisfaction was similar for the 2 groups (p = 0.62). CONCLUSION: The self-paced enhanced online module was non-inferior to facilitated face-to-face learning in terms of improving application and knowledge of insulin dosing. Pharmacists had similar levels of satisfaction with the 2 modes of learning.

CONTEXTE: La prévalence des modules d'apprentissage en ligne pour la formation continue des professionnels de la santé a augmenté ces dernières années. Cependant, l'efficacité de ces modules pour l'apprentissage des pharmaciens n'a pas fait l'objet d'études rigoureuses. OBJECTIFS: Le principal objectif de cette étude était de déterminer si la formation offerte aux pharmaciens au moyen d'un module d'autoapprentissage en ligne amélioré était non inférieure à un module d'apprentissage en personne pour ce qui est de l'application des connaissances sur le sujet de la détermination des doses d'insuline postopératoires. Les objectifs secondaires étaient de mesurer l'acquisition et la rétention des connaissances par les pharmaciens et leur satisfaction par rapport à l'apprentissage. MÉTHODES: Les participants à cette étude prospective de non-infériorité à répartition aléatoire et groupes parallèles étaient des pharmaciens d'une importante régie régionale de la santé multicentre. Les résultats ont été mesurés en comparant les scores obtenus aux questionnaires d'évaluation des connaissances pré- et post-formation. Une différence intergroupe du changement des scores de l'application des connaissances de moins de 25 points de pourcentage constituait la marge de non-infériorité prédéterminée. RÉSULTATS: En tout, 74 pharmaciens ont consenti à participer à l'étude, dont 38 ont été répartis de façon aléatoire dans le groupe module d'apprentissage en ligne amélioré et les 36 autres, dans le groupe séance d'apprentissage en personne. Pour les questions examinant l'application des connaissances, l'amélioration moyenne obtenue dans le groupe apprentissage en ligne était supérieure de 26 points de pourcentage à celle obtenue dans le groupe apprentissage en personne (intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95 %, 25 à 27; p < 0,001). Pour les questions testant l'acquisition de connaissances, l'amélioration obtenue dans le groupe apprentissage en ligne était inférieure de 7 points de pourcentage à celle obtenue dans le groupe apprentissage en personne (IC à 95 %, 2 à 12; p = 0,008). Par conséquent, le module d'apprentissage en ligne amélioré a été jugé non inférieur à la séance d'apprentissage en personne pour ce qui est de l'application des connaissances et de l'acquisition des connaissances. L'insuffisance des données n'a pas permis d'analyser le résultat secondaire relatif à la rétention des connaissances au fil du temps. La satisfaction des participants était similaire entre les deux groupes (p = 0,62). CONCLUSION: Le module d'autoapprentissage en ligne amélioré était non inférieur à une séance d'apprentissage en personne au chapitre des connaissances et de leur application pour déterminer les doses d'insuline postopératoires. Les niveaux de satisfaction des pharmaciens étaient similaires entre les deux méthodes d'apprentissage. [Traduction par l'éditeur].