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Developing an online learning community for mental health professionals and service users: a discursive analysis
Janet Smithson1, Ray B Jones, Emily Ashurst
1School of Psychology, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Washington Singer Laboratories, Perry Road, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK. j.smithson@exeter.ac.uk
BMC Medical Education
|March 23, 2012
Summary
Online collaborative learning in mental health education effectively engaged both professionals and service users. Anonymity and mixed formats facilitated discussion, though hierarchies persisted, requiring moderators to use experiential discourse.
Area of Science:
- Health Education
- Digital Health
- Online Learning
Background:
- Growing interest in online collaborative tools for health education to reduce costs and enhance communication.
- Patients and students are adept at using the internet for health information; health organizations are exploring online tools.
- Healthcare professionals often express reservations about online interaction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the dynamics of online collaborative learning between mental health professionals and service users.
- To understand how participants interacted within online learning environments focused on internet technologies for mental health practice.
Main Methods:
- Conducted three week-long collaborative learning courses involving 19 mental health professionals (MHPs) and 12 mental health service users (MHSUs).
- Utilized a discursive approach to analyze participant interactions and their contribution to online learning goals.
- Employed a mix of synchronous and asynchronous online formats.
Main Results:
- MHSUs and MHPs successfully discussed issues and considered each other's perspectives.
- Synchronous formats boosted service user participation, while MHPs preferred asynchronous, reasoned postings.
- Participants shifted between 'lived experience' and expert discourses, blurring traditional boundaries.
Conclusions:
- An anonymous format fostered 'co-constructed asymmetry,' enabling open discussion between MHPs and MHSUs.
- Anonymity was crucial for the course's success, yet hierarchies between expert/lay and teacher/learner persisted.
- A blend of synchronous and asynchronous formats supported MHSU contributions; moderators should use experiential discourse.
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