Developing Interactive Mobile Learning Experiences for Healthcare Professionals: Content and Community of Practice Recommendations

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to examine best practices for designing inquiry-based contextual instructional content and determining the pedagogical uses and impacts of communities of practice for supporting mobile learning activities. In this convergent parallel mixed methods case study, mobile learning experiences were accessed by physicians, nurses, and healthcare professionals at medical organizations across Ontario. Impact was measured by the learning outcomes and experiences of study participants. Findings highlighted the effectiveness of context-specific, situated learning content for application of learned skills, integration of new knowledge, and identification of best practices. Synchronous discussion forums were examined for collaboration and communication during mobile learning, and asynchronous forums were ideal for post-learning collaboration, problem-solving and resource sharing.