E-learning for social care consultation | Consultation paper

Overview
Aims of this paper	1
The social care context	2
E-learning in social care	3
Limitations and constraints	4
The strategic context for e-learning	5
Stakeholders and partners	6
Principles and aims	7
Key action areas	8
The kit	8.1
The know-how	8.2
The subject materials	8.3
The technical systems	8.4
The organisational systems	8.5
Action plans	9
Higher education	9.1
Social care workforce	9.2
Research and evaluation	10
Next steps	11
Consultation process	12
Glossary
Acronyms
Acknowledgements
References

8.2 The know-how

There are some skills that need to be acquired to engage in e-learning. Learner support therefore includes helping learners to acquire basic ICT skills - such as those defined by the 'IT user skills framework' from e-skills UK (the Sector Skills Council for IT) or the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL). A requirement for ECDL or its equivalent is incorporated in the social work degree. However, sector-wide, social care has no counterpart to the NHS national programme to support ECDL training for NHS staff, and there is no ICT element in the social care induction or foundation standards.

While ICT skills are a necessary prerequisite for engagement in e-learning, they do not of themselves enable effective learning. Additional information searching and evaluation and skills - which together with ICT skills collectively form information literacy - are also necessary if a student is to get the most from e-learning.

Educators also need e-teaching skills. Support includes helping educators not only to acquire information literacy skills, but also the specific technical and pedagogical skills needed to be an effective 'e-educator'. These skills include an understanding of how different people learn online, 'e-moderating', the ability to plan and manage online assessment, and the ability to develop, re-purpose and use high-quality content. Generic schemes such as the Ferl Practitioners Programme for e-educators in further education, or the LeTTOL programme (an accredited course in online tutoring) are potential resources on which to build social care-specific training programmes.