Neonatal Online Training in Europe

Background

This project has been funded by the European Commission with the primary aim of developing a European postgraduate training programme for doctors training in neonatology. The online programme will be delivered from a European Neonatal Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) which has been specifically developed to provide the required professional infrastructure and online resources. Doctors in training are offered the opportunity of joining colleagues from throughout Europe in the interactive study of components of the European Neonatal Syllabus. The modules have been written by recognised experts in different fields of neonatology and group discussions are facilitated by a faculty of practising neonatologists.

Faculty

The following European Specialists have been involved in developing the project:

• Prof. Helen Budge – United Kingdom
• Prof. Janusz Gadzinowski – Poland
• Prof. Gorm Greisen – Denmark
• Dr. Mike Hall – United Kingdom
• Prof. Neil Marlow – ESPR, ESN
• Prof. David Neubauer – Slovenia
• Dr. Esther Rieger-Fackeldey – Germany
• Dr. Heili Varendi – Estonia

The programme

Four interactive modules will be delivered over a one year period. The programme started in April 2010. The modules will be delivered sequentially with each module running for a period of approximately 10 weeks. The core material of the modules will be accessible either online or by a memory stick. Each module will have predefined learning objectives and a range of multimedia will be used to support a teaching and learning approach which will apply theory to practice in a range of different contexts. The curriculum and the accompanying resource materials are in English.

The use of an online communication package enables interactive, collaborative discussion and debate relating to authentic clinical cases. Trainees are divided into groups which are led by online tutors who are responsible for supervising and leading the discussions.

Both formal assessment and self-assessment will be integrated throughout each module and each trainee will have an electronic portfolio in which evidence of experiential learning may be recorded.

The programme has been approved by the European Board of Paediatrics and a certificate of successful completion of each module will be awarded to participants who meet the assessment criteria.

Pre-requisites for participation

Participants are qualified doctors who are undertaking training in neonatology.

Experience of online learning is not essential and there is an induction programme for all participants which provides orientation both to the VLE and to the online communication package.

Access to a PC/Mac and the Internet is required – particularly for the online conferencing.

Support and time commitment

Each module will run for approximately ten weeks and it is anticipated that, in order to gain maximum benefit from participation and engagement both with the syllabus and the online collaboration, an average time commitment of 4 hours per week is required.

Online technical support and help is readily available via a Help desk, telephone messaging service and e-mail.

What benefits are there from participation?

In addition to the resource materials this programme offers a unique opportunity to learn from other professionals undertaking a similar role in a different context. The programme is flexible, educationally robust and designed to meet the needs of clinicians; it may also help to promote or refine the acquisition of key transferable skills.

How to find out more

For further information please contact the Project Manager Susan Smith – sls1@soton.ac.uk