Online e-learning is rapidly growing in popularity, both in educational and employment settings.
But why is this important to your future as a midwife?
The main reasons for the popularity of e-learning are:
- Training materials can be accessed from anywhere in the world.
- You can access the coursework and materials at times convenient to you, fitting this around current work or family commitments.
- You can work through the course modules at your own pace.
- With the online Facebook groups in place for courses you can find support from students around the world without having to leave your home.
- Interacting online can be a little less intimidating for some than a ‘formal’ classroom setting. – it’s much easier to put questions to tutors and contribute to group discussions online.
- You can get feedback and results straight away.
Your learning process will generally be much faster because of this also!
How does this relate to getting a midwife position?
For every university place or employment position advertised there is a lot of competition. The best and wisest applicants will do everything they can to gain an edge over their fellow applicants.
Doing things like gaining relatable work experience are still important too of course. But an online course may be something not everyone has considered, and could prove to be your trump card.
Through an e-learning course, which will condense a large amount of relevant key information into each section, you can learn the things you really need to know about being a midwife and show your commitment to the career and enthusiasm for the role.
As the courses are frequently updated you can be confident that your knowledge is up to date too.
Online courses can also give great guidance on how to develop the crucial personal attributes to help you excel at your role, and how to make the absolute best of your application form and interview.
These are things that are often overlooked, yet can give you a huge advantage in your application.
Are there disadvantages to e-learning?
The main disadvantage for some is the lack of face-to-face interaction with tutors and fellow students.
The best way around this is to ‘jump in’ to the online groups, and interact as much as possible:
- Respond to other students who post queries
- Don’t be afraid to post your own questions!
- Offer your own experiences and advice
This will help you to build an online ‘presence’ within the group, and allow you to get to know students studying on the same course (albeit virtually!) and find common ground with each other.
Is e-learning the right method for you?
Only you can decide if you feel you would get more from a face-to-face course or working at your own pace through targeted online modules. It really boils down to personal choice and which type of environment you prefer.
Positive results have been repeatedly reported for e-learning however, with many students finding that they retain more information, gain more confidence and have a better comprehension of the coursework than in more traditional classroom based settings.
The ideal solution for a fast paced and diverse profession?
When you think about how unpredictable, hectic and varied a day in the life of a midwife can be it makes sense that the best learning tools would be flexible and conveniently accessible.
