Implementing effective eLearning for scaling up global capacity building: findings from the malnutrition elearning...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Medical Education
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Global demand for capacity building highlights the need for effective eLearning.
• Scaling up eLearning utilization in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) requires strategic implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation of a malnutrition eLearning course in Ghana.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of different course delivery models.
• To analyze factors influencing course completion and compare costs.

Main Methods:

• Four delivery models were used: Mobile Training Centre (MTC), Online Delivery (OD), Institutional Computer Workstation (ICW), and Mixed Delivery (MD).
• Pre/post-assessments and questionnaires measured knowledge gain and completion rates.
• Cost analysis compared eLearning models with traditional face-to-face training.

Main Results:

• Course completion was higher when eLearning was relevant to job or curriculum.
• Knowledge gain was significant, particularly for participants finding the course relevant.
• Implementation costs per participant varied: MTC £51.0, OD £2.2, ICW £1.2, MD £1.1, versus £105.0 for face-to-face training.

Conclusions:

• The malnutrition eLearning course facilitates global capacity building in malnutrition management.
• Contextually appropriate delivery models and ensuring training relevance are key to enhancing eLearning effectiveness in LMICs.