You have full text access to this OnlineOpen article

Effective e-learning for health professionals and students—barriers and their solutions. A systematic review of the literature—findings from the HeXL project

  1. Sue Childs1,*,
  2. Elizabeth Blenkinsopp1,
  3. Amanda Hall2,
  4. Graham Walton3

Article first published online: 9 NOV 2005

DOI: 10.1111/j.1470-3327.2005.00614.x

Issue

Health Information & Libraries Journal

Health Information & Libraries Journal

Volume 22, Issue Supplement s2, pages 20–32, December 2005

Additional Information

How to Cite

Childs, S., Blenkinsopp, E., Hall, A. and Walton, G. (2005), Effective e-learning for health professionals and students—barriers and their solutions. A systematic review of the literature—findings from the HeXL project. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 22: 20–32. doi: 10.1111/j.1470-3327.2005.00614.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Information Society Research Community (I-SRC), School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne,

  2. 2

    School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne,

  3. 3

    University Library, Loughborough University, UK

* Sue Childs, Information Society Research Community (I-SRC), School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences, Northumbria University, Room 07, Pandon Building, Camden St, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 1XE, UK. E-mail: sue.childs@northumbria.ac.uk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 9 NOV 2005
  2. Article first published online: 9 NOV 2005

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (147K)

Abstract

Introduction:  In 2003/4 the Information Management Research Institute, Northumbria University, conducted a research project to identify the barriers to e-learning for health professionals and students. The project also established possible ways to overcome these barriers. The North of England Workforce Development Confederation funded the project.

Methodology:  The project comprised a systematic review of the literature on barriers to and solutions/critical success factors for e-learning in the health field. Fifty-seven references were suitable for analysis. This review was supplemented by a questionnaire survey of learners and an interview study of learning providers to ensure that data identified from the literature were grounded in reality.

Results:  The main barriers are: requirement for change; costs; poorly designed packages; inadequate technology; lack of skills; need for a component of face-to-face teaching; time intensive nature of e-learning; computer anxiety.

A range of solutions can solve these barriers. The main solutions are: standardization; strategies; funding; integration of e-learning into the curriculum; blended teaching; user friendly packages; access to technology; skills training; support; employers paying e-learning costs; dedicated work time for e-learning.

Conclusions:  The authors argue that librarians can play an important role in e-learning: providing support and support materials; teaching information skills; managing and providing access to online information resources; producing their own e-learning packages; assisting in the development of other packages.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (147K)