What was the context for implementing e-learning?
Liquidlogic’s Children’s System was already live across all of Children’s Social Care and new starter and refresher training was being offered for I session of 3 full days every 4 – 6 weeks. It was not viable to offer training more frequently as the numbers could not justify running the courses.
Due to the staffing situation, it was necessary however to ensure that new starters in particular could access training as soon as they came into post to avoid delay in allocation – some training was offered by Support staff on site but this was not considered to be sufficient.
E-learning was therefore selected on a trial basis as a precursor to the formal classroom session. It was also agreed that E-learning should be used to support refresher training for staff who were experiencing difficulty in using specific areas of the LL application.
How many users did you need to train?
Numbers varied according to how many new starters at any given time but Refresher training could potentially be used by any of the 300 staff group.
How was e-learning deployed?
E-learning pre-classroom was made mandatory for new starters and a particular suite of essential courses was identified for completion including certification before a Liquidlogic Log on would be issued. Managers were made responsible for confirming that the worker had completed the necessary course. This had to be completed within a 2 week period and was made part of formal induction.
How was the training structured? Did the e-learning reflect previous classroom methods?
In essence training reflected the classroom methods taking trainees through the stages of familiarisation from demographics, contacts, referrals etc to reflect the care pathway, however candidates could dip in and out of specific modules and complete these in any order so there was some flexibility.
Was the training role based or generic?
The training was generic although a specific set of modules was identified for new starters and managers.
What were the benefits?
- Users were able to complete the courses in a flexible manner at a time and place of their own choosing.
- Users were able to use Liquidlogic Protocol with more skill and expertise more quickly than previously
- We were able to reduce the formal classroom training to 2 days as users were already familiar with the application before attending and had therefore completed the first steps re: demographics, contacts and referrals
- Classroom training could then concentrate on the more complex aspects of the application
Conclusions
“There is clear evidence that Me Learning is being well received and that the key objectives concerning new starters, reduction of classroom training days and cost benefits are being achieved.”
Lynn Mattai – Children’s System Improvement Manager, Enfield Council
For further information, please visit: www.enfield.gov.uk
Click here to download the case study.
