Blended Learning Models In Skill Education For Community Health Workers

Abstract

Blended learning as an instructional approach also involves the combination of synchronous online units with physical classroom experiences and is a versatile, effective approach to training a community health worker (CHW) who may work in a geographically distant or rural area. The strategy aims at promoting the development of more effective acquisition, retention and use of basic health-related skills through the combination of electronic access and interactive, hands-on learning. A randomised controlled trial (RCT) recruited 100 CHWs who were deployed to blended learning or conventional training, respectively. The blended group was subjected to a six-week program whereby the face-to-face sessions were contrasted with online modules. Slackers used pre- and post-test surveys, qualitative interviews, and assessments, and the results were measured using knowledge, retention of skills, and their ability to apply them in practice. The findings were emphasised by paired t-tests and thematic analysis. The blended learning students reflected justified improvement, the communication with patients improved by 25%, up to 85%, the competency in disease prevention improved by 25%, up to 80%, and the adherence to basic healthcare practices improved by 20%, up to 90%. The retention of skills reduced slightly over time, but the biggest drops were in communication with patients and disease prevention. Blended learning has been effective in enhancing the level of healthcare skills amongst CHWs, with certain skill maintenance.