Developing a mobile learning solution for health and social care practice

Abstract

In this article we share our experiences of a large‐scale five‐year innovative programme to introduce mobile learning into health and social care (H&SC) practice placement learning and assessment that bridges the divide between the university classroom and the practice setting in which these students learn. The outputs are from the Assessment & Learning in Practice Settings (ALPS) Centre for Excellence in Teaching & Learning (CETL), which is working towards a framework of interprofessional assessment of Common Competences in the H&SC professions. The mobile assessment process and tools that have been developed and implemented and the outcomes of the first‐stage evaluation of the mobile assessment tools are discussed from the student perspective.

Keywords:

• mobile learning
• mobile assessment
• common competencies
• shared services
• practice placement learning
• health and social care students
• work‐based learning

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the support of the ALPS Evaluation Group. This work was funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

Notes

1. Mobile Enabled Disabled Students (MEDS) was a separate study funded by ALPS to inform the development of the mobile assessment process in relation to accessibility.