Book Review
Being an e-learner in health and social care: A student’s guide
Julie Santy and Liz Smith
ISBN: 978-0-415-40142-5; 2007; vi+182 pages; Routledge Publishing, London;
Bev Kokkinn
Learning and Teaching Unit, University of South Australia, City East Campus, Adelaide SA
e-Learning is a central feature of university education in Australia and although many students commence study well prepared for e-learning, some students are new to the online educational environment. For the latter, Being an e-learner in health and social care: A student's guide provides a comprehensive resource on how to navigate the challenges of current online learning environments.
The book discusses not only the issues associated with e-learning but also provides advice on how to be a successful e-learner. It introduces and explains technical terminology in an easy to read way aided by a glossary. Given the speed of technological change, however, the book will require regular updates to include new e-learning technologies as they emerge. The book includes theoretical and practical information and each chapter is presented in a similar format with clear explanations, activities and internet links for further reading. Chapters 1 through 3 explain the importance of e-learning for health and social care and the necessary skills and the role a successful student needs to play. The principles of student centred learning recur throughout the book but Chapter 4, in particular, makes explicit some of the expectations that e-learners may realistically have of their tutors, emphasising the importance of independent study habits.
Chapter 5 explains the importance of locating, recognising, and using quality information, an essential competency for lifelong learning. The information about relevant databases and search engines provides the principles that could be transferred when current searching technologies change.
Chapter 6 is an overview of virtual learning environments and how they function with advice provided on maximising learning opportunities. Chapter 7 provides details about the learning objects that students may be expected to use in their study. Chapters 8 and 9 focus on e-learning communities - their memberships, their ground rules, professional and ethical considerations, expectations around plagiarism, netiquette and accountability. Chapter 10 discusses a range of ways used to simulate situations for developing clinical and communication skills. Chapter 11 focuses on assessment, evaluation and research. It provides insights into the principles, possibilities and pitfalls of electronic assessment as well as strategies for students for managing expectations of assessment as e-learners.
The aim of the book is to help students and tutors new to e-learning to understand the technology and terminology, expectations and learning methods to function in the online environment. For inexperienced students, the level of detail may be too complex and more experienced readers may be frustrated by the simple details, notably the activities included in some chapters. For Australian students, the wealth of recommended sources of information for health and social care are predominantly UK websites so they will need to identify Australian equivalent websites for themselves. For tutors who are new to e-learning, the book provides useful insights into the challenges that face students and ways to address these in their teaching.
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