E-learning comes to the CSP

I’m thrilled to announce that we’re moving to a new ePortfolio provider and will launch a virtual learning environment (VLE). For the first time as members you’ll be able to access learning activities, such as courses and modules, directly from CSP. We’re building and testing the systems ready for a launch in December or early in 2017. 

 

Behind the scenes a lot has been going on in the last 12 months or so. The CSP has signed a contract with a company to build what we need. We’re using one of the most widely used platforms available so that we can tap into other’s expertise, and future-proof ourselves as much as possible. In a world where technology is ever changing, that’s really important – who knew that in the space of 30 years we’d go from computers with clunky green monitors to e- and mHealth? At home, online shopping and banking are standard and, as health professionals you operate in a world where patients can access their data, record and track their own progress, book their own appointments, and be triaged and monitored remotely.

 

Of course, we are careful how money is spent.  

It will have the same templates that you’re used to. 

 

You’ll find tools to help you to plan, to reflect, and to record what you’ve achieved.  We’re going for a crisp, clean look and we’re renaming things so you won’t need to know your ASSETS from your ATLAS any more. 

 

The site is also being designed to be straightforward to navigate.

 

 

You’ll know:

 

 

We know that most members access our website and the current ePortfolio through mobile and tablets so it will be as accessible through these as your PC.

 

We’re also working with networks, such as the Association of Visually Impaired Chartered Physiotherapists and the CSP equality and diversity network, to make sure it’s inclusive for everyone. 

The online system will allow CSP to create or host courses, modules or stand-alone activities to help you engage with topics relevant to your practice.

 

We’re starting small, but over the course of next year we’ll introduce new topics regularly.

 

We’ll launch with:

 

CSP stewards and health and safety reps  will have online material to support them. Once it’s live, look out for the upcoming events on the noticeboard.When you sign up for an activity, you’ll gain access to course content: a combination of notes, podcasts, videos and presentations. You’ll have the chance to test yourself and demonstrate that you’ve understood. Depending on the topic, you’ll find quizzes, tests, and self-reflective prompts to help you evidence your learning.

 

For some topics, you will have the chance to speak to an expert or a tutor or learn from your peers. We’ll be using online seminars (webinars), discussions (using Twitter chats, chatrooms, discussion boards) so there will be many opportunities to learn with, and from, others. 

 

It will have a similar design and layout as the new ePortfolio, so there will be no need to learn your way around two new systems. 

 

A new feature will allow you to pull off a transcript of your activities. When you’re getting ready for the next Health and Care Professions Council audit, this should help you complete a key section (section 4). fl

In this article, we have three opportunities to choose from

We’re looking for a collective name for the systems. Our working title is ‘CSP Learning Zone’. If you have a better idea, please email learninganddevelopement@csp.org.uk by end of this month. 

We are looking for members to help us road test the ‘learning zone’.  It doesn’t matter if you are a regular user the current ePortfolio or not, we’d love for you to be involved.  In fact if you think you are hard to persuade then we really do want to hear from you! To help us get ready for launch please get in touch at learninganddevelopement@csp.org.uk. 

If, like me, you have content stored in your current ePortfolio you might be wondering what’s going to happen to it. There will be plenty of support on hand to make sure this happens as smoothly as possible. We’ll be emailing you, posting messages on the website and iCSP so you’ll know when it is going to happen and what you will need to do. We’ll also be blogging, issuing updates, alerts and countdowns so you definitely won’t miss it. We will have a dedicated email address for you to contact us on as well. Before that though, you might like to do some housekeeping. 

 

When we move systems you’ll have the opportunity to convert everything to PDFs and take it all with you, but rather like moving house its cathartic to review what you really want to take with you, to decide what you want to keep and what you no longer need.