Pharmacist Perceptions of Situated Learning in an Internet-Based Continuing Education Program

Situated learning, in which knowledge is gained in the context of authentic problem situations, can help learners acquire experts’ “tricks of the trade,” while mastering program content. A situated learning framework guided the design of a self-study Internet-based continuing education program on using the Internet as a drug information resource. A written survey and semi-structured interviews were used to identify which situated learning components of the program experienced and novice Internet users perceived to be important to their learning. Pharmacists in both groups valued the contribution to their learning of course elements representing nine of the 10 key situated learning components. The least valued component was collaborative learning through a bulletin board. Overall, a situated learning framework appears to be relevant to the design of distance-delivered, independent-study continuing pharmacy education programs. An issue still to be addressed is whether collaborative learning through a bulletin board can make a valuable contribution to learning in an independent study course.