Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Developing a model of online professional development for midwives

One of the things that I want to come out of my EdD is a model of online professional development for midwives. Here is the start of a mind map that tries to encapsulate some of the features of the Virtual International Day of the Midwife, which is the framework on which I'll base my model.



Those of you who know this project, any comments?

7 comments:

Carolyn said...

Very good Sarah. Another huge advantage of this conference is that it is organised by the profession for the profession without outside funding or interference. Of course it does have significant support from Otago Polytechnic, providing the platform for the conference, but other than that it is entirely supported by people like you giving their time to make it work. Well done everyone who has made this work.

Merrolee said...

hi Sarah
Is this a model - which explains phenomena. Some of the content especially on the left hand side of your diagram seem to be a list of tasks that needs to occur... then you have questions/queries on the right..
Sorry.. hope that's not too challenging.. I guess the first question is when you say you want to create a model - what do you mean by a model?? In other words what is the lens through which you define 'a model'.. once I understand that it becomes easier to give you feedback/contribute thoughts.

Sarah Stewart said...

Thank you, Carolyn, the fact that it is generated by the profession for the profession is an important element I want to look at.

@Merrolee Actually, you are right...this isn't a model...it's more a brain storm to help me work out what is special about the VIDM, and what can eventuate into a model.

I am still getting my head around academic speak...so what do you mean by "lens"?

KiwiNessie said...

Ongoing professional development online would be well serviced by a wiki with links to content. My main question in the New Zealand context is how would midwives be accredited points? I have always been motivated to sharing knowledge and not reinventing the wheel.

Sarah Stewart said...

Hello Nessie, yes, the VIDM will contain the recordings, so no re-inventing the wheel there :)

We have not applied to any specific regulatory body for accreditation. Because we are a global initiative, we have not had the time to apply for accreditation to all the different regulatory bodies. If someone volunteered to do this for us, we'd be very happy to go through the process. As a NZ midwife, you can use the VIDM under your allocation of elective, non-accredited points.

Nerrikee said...

lens - theoretical perspective - you know - post positivist, feminist, pragmatic - different philosophical viewpoints have different meanings about models.. as do professional disciplines!

Sarah Stewart said...

Thanks Nerrikee...still getting my head around all this stuff...wondering if I'll ever understand it!!