Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/72195
properly constructed, e-learning has some distinct advantages over traditional classroom instruction. Taking into consideration the unique aspects and needs of the massage and bodywork community, here are some recommendations for implementation and evaluation of e-learning that can move the field toward educational excellence. Recognize the value of asynchronous • • learning strategies in today's busy world. People have increasingly busy schedules, transportation costs are higher, and sitting in a classroom for hours on end with an inflexible schedule is not always the best way to accomplish educational goals. For many, especially adult learners, an asynchronous e-learning strategy can be highly effective. Evaluate the quality of e-learning • programs with an equal measure. Courses delivered online are often held to a higher standard of scrutiny than their face-to-face counterparts. Just because a person sits in a classroom does not mean he or she has had a quality learning experience. Measures of quality learning should focus on educational outcomes and program results. E-learning and classroom courses should be evaluated by the same criteria. Students in e-learning programs, especially hybrid programs that combine classroom and online experiences, have routinely performed as well as or better than those in classroom programs alone. Avoid the temptation to be captivated by technology at the expense of instructional design. It can be easy to be carried away with all the fancy technology that can be included in an e-learning course. It also may be tempting to throw articles or lecture content on the Web with a simple quiz at the end. An exceptional e-learning experience minimizes technological challenges and focuses attention on the design • of quality instructional activities that deepen the student's learning. Use e-learning for appropriate educational goals. Massage will always be predominantly a kinesthetic skill. It is not appropriate to attempt teaching the manual skills of massage and bodywork in an e-learning environment. Yet, manual techniques only comprise part of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to be an effective practitioner. Other academic subjects that require more complex learning and analysis can easily be delivered online. If constructed properly, more effective-learning methods can be employed and better outcomes can be achieved in an e-learning environment. It is easy to be swept up in the excitement of e-learning and think it a great solution to many more problems than it really is. It is also easy to resist any implementation of e-learning with a perception that it must be of inferior quality and too costly. These perspectives represent two extremes and both can be erroneous perceptions. What is needed is a middle ground that recognizes the value of e-learning without overzealous adoption of it as a technological panacea to our educational challenges. This middle ground also requires an open mind to judge this new method on its merits and its ability to make unique and positive contributions to our educational landscape. Massage is once again entering a place of new opportunity. What the profession chooses to do with this new technology will dictate how it affects our education and our future. Hopefully, we will move toward higher quality e-learning programs to benefit our educational goals and the clients who are seeking our skills. and consultant in the massage therapy profession. He offers continuing education seminars, online courses, and program development to schools. He can be contacted at omeri@omeri.com. Whitney Lowe is a key author, educator, NOTES 1. E. Allen and J. Seaman, Online Nation: Five Years of Growth in Online Learning. (Needham, MA: Sloan Consortium, 2007). 2. Ibid. 3. V. Hollis and H. Madill, "Online-learning: The Potential for Occupational Therapy Education," Occupational Therapy International. 13, no. 2 (2006): 61–78. 4. Ibid. 5. Ibid. 6. B. K. McFarlin, "Hybrid Lecture-online Format Increases Student Grades in an Undergraduate Exercise Physiology Course at a Large Urban University," Advances in Physiology Education. 32, no. 1 (2008): 86–91. 7. Ibid. 8. E. Allen and J. Seaman, Entering the Mainstream: The Quality and Extent of Online Education in the United States, 2003 and 2004. (Wellesley, MA: Sloan Consortium, 2004). 9. R. M. Harden, "A New Vision for Distance- learning and Continuing Medical Education," Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions. 25, no. 1 (2005): 43. 10. E. Allen and J. Seaman. Online Nation: Five Years of Growth in Online Learning. (Needham, MA: Sloan Consortium, 2007). 11. R. M. Harden, "A New Vision for Distance- learning and Continuing Medical Education," Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions 25, no. 1 (2005): 43. 12. S. Trenholm, "A Review of Cheating in Fully Asynchronous Online Courses: A Math or Fact- Based Course Perspective. Journal of Educational Technology Systems. 35, no. 3 (2007): 281. massagetherapy.com—for you and your clients 57