E-Learning, E-Education, and Online Training. Second International Conference, eLEOT 2015, Novedrate, Italy, September 16-18, 2015, Revised Selected Papers

Research Article

Making Neuroscience Important and Relevant: Online Learning in an Innovative Bachelor of Dementia Care Program

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  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.1007/978-3-319-28883-3_11,
        author={Lynette Goldberg and Andrea Carr and Alison Canty and Shannon Klekociuk and David Ward and Lila Landowski and Carolyn King and Fran McInerney and James Vickers},
        title={Making Neuroscience Important and Relevant: Online Learning in an Innovative Bachelor of Dementia Care Program},
        proceedings={E-Learning, E-Education, and Online Training. Second International Conference, eLEOT 2015, Novedrate, Italy, September 16-18, 2015, Revised Selected Papers},
        proceedings_a={ELEOT},
        year={2016},
        month={1},
        keywords={Dementia Effective care Neuroscience Neuropathology Online learning},
        doi={10.1007/978-3-319-28883-3_11}
    }
    
  • Lynette Goldberg
    Andrea Carr
    Alison Canty
    Shannon Klekociuk
    David Ward
    Lila Landowski
    Carolyn King
    Fran McInerney
    James Vickers
    Year: 2016
    Making Neuroscience Important and Relevant: Online Learning in an Innovative Bachelor of Dementia Care Program
    ELEOT
    Springer
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-28883-3_11
Lynette Goldberg1,*, Andrea Carr1,*, Alison Canty1,*, Shannon Klekociuk1,*, David Ward1,*, Lila Landowski1,*, Carolyn King1,*, Fran McInerney1,*, James Vickers1,*
  • 1: University of Tasmania
*Contact email: Lyn.Goldberg@utas.edu.au, A.R.Carr@utas.edu.au, Alison.Canty@utas.edu.au, Shannon.Klekociuk@utas.edu.au, David.Ward@utas.edu.au, Lila.Landowski@utas.edu.au, Carolyn.King@utas.edu.au, Fran.McInerney@utas.edu.au, James.Vickers@utas.edu.au

Abstract

Neuroscience is an important component of STEM disciplines and fundamental to understanding dementia, a growing worldwide public health issue. Understanding the neuropathology and clinical manifestations of dementia is important for those who need to provide effective daily care for adults with dementia. Dementia care workers form a non-traditional student cohort and the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre at the University of Tasmania (Australia) has developed a fully online Bachelor of Dementia Care degree to facilitate their educational and professional development. This paper documents the success of 65 adult learners as they completed four neuroscience units in the degree. Adult learners with no previous university experience performed similarly to those with university experience suggesting that this unique online degree is appropriately designed for students with limited educational backgrounds. Analysis of students’ comments on the impact of their neuroscience learning indicated increased understanding and confidence in the care they provided.