Digital microlearning as a tool for training and competency development for personnel in elderly care to increase safety, effectiveness and quality in professional practice
The main purpose of this project is to use digital microlearning as an intervention to reduce the risk of work-related injuries and illness in elderly care and improve outcomes for care receivers.
Elderly care organizations face challenges today due to high personnel turnover and pandemic-related obstacles in conducting training and competence development programs in a time-sensitive and fit-for-purpose manner. Digital microlearning has the potential to solve some of these challenges. This is a tool that can more quickly be adapted in time and place, more tailored to individual employee’s needs and fill the most relevant competency gaps, compared to standard training tools.
The research project aims to identify the knowledge development needs of elderly care organisations in terms of time, delivery, channel and subject, and digital microlearning will be used in attempting to meet these needs. Outcomes of focus are effectiveness in knowledge retention and work performance, as well as user experience and value for the organisation.
The research project is being conducted in close cooperation with technical developer Minnity AB and stakeholders in elderly care.
The project will be conducted in a number of elderly care organisations in three municipalities in Sweden.
Objectives
- to evaluate a possible tool for employees and managers in elderly care to fill competency gaps in a more effective and efficient manner than standard (current) methods, and
- to identify if elderly care employee self-confidence and safety in their skills and work performance can be improved through a new ways of formulating their own competency development needs and plans.