Utilization of e-books to enhance self-directed learning for clinical laboratory science specialists

Abstract

Ongoing education plays a crucial role in enhancing the competence of clinical laboratories Sciences Specialists (CLSs). However, CLSs often encounter obstacles when trying to learn in involved clinical settings. To tackle these challenges and cater to the specific learning requirements of medical technologists, we developed a learner-centred electronic book (e-book) that fosters self-directed learning among them. To assess the e-book's effectiveness as continuing education (CE) material for CLSs, a cross-sectional study was carried out at two medical centres in Riyadh. The e-book's content was tailored to meet the specific practice requirements and learning needs of CLSs. The study employed The New World Kirkpatrick Model, which includes four levels (reactions, learning, behaviors, and results), to evaluate the impact of the e-book on the participants' learning. A total of 280 medical technologists took part in the study, completing a questionnaire and a post-test, which provided valuable insights into their learning patterns, satisfaction with the e-book, and the learning outcomes they experienced after using it. After using the e-book, a majority of readers reported positive learning experiences and improvements in their learning outcomes, encompassing knowledge acquisition and changes in behavior. Furthermore, the e-book successfully presented a new continuing education (CE) activity and reached CLSs from diverse laboratory settings. The affordable and learner-focused e-book efficiently addressed the obstacles to continuing education (CE) faced by CLSs. The interactive and flexible nature of e-learning was especially beneficial in enabling learners to actively participate in clinical scenarios related to laboratories. This research holds the potential to serve as a foundation for medical educators to develop e-learning model for CE.