Each one of us has unique stories to tell about how we got to today from yesterday. These stories explain who we have been, who we are, and where we are going. Here are some of mine.
eLearning Applications - Just in Time Learning about Depression
Thinking Optimistically about Depression
I just flew back from
While there, I became acutely aware of the tremendous needs by both the membercare resource people (MRP), and the people they serve. Too often content, insight, consultation, and mentoring are not easily available due to distance, cost, communication and language barriers. I met many new MRPs who are right in the middle of situations, who need help right now. And, last I checked, I can't be everywhere at once!
But how does my eLearning initiative respond to this? Let me pick a topic and use it as an example. As with any high stress job involving cross cultural boundaries, with a potential for safety issues, missional work can result in depressive thoughts, feelings, and reactions. Most people don't check their "level" of depression like they do their weight. There is no scale you stand on each morning to see how you are doing. Depression mostly comes up on you slowly, like a cat creeping in out of the fog. It is like, all of a sudden, you have the feelings, and they don't feel new - it is like they have been around a long time. What can one person do?
Well, here's is what I am doing...I know a fair bit about depression and treating depression. I know that, as with many issues, depression can arise in most people out of thinking and feeling. So, I am writing curriculum using my eLearning interactive learning community.
Imagine a person accessing information, insights, suggestions and activities at the time they are beginning to feel glum or sad. They learn about the symptoms, and they can dialogue about these themselves, through a kind of online journaling, or with other learners. Also, they could dialogue with their MRP. This could occur offline, or in online communities. Depression is an isolating condition. Let's learn about it and work on it in community!
As a next step in the learning, suggestions and strategies are offered to give the learner a sense of initiative in terms of trying some solutions. I have built in a somewhat unique resource here in that each learner can offer their individual input about solutions and steps into a library for use by others in the current, real time community, and all future learners. Each learner has the capability to provide his or her own experience for the continuing development of the learning events as well as the continuing development of learners who follow. A learning experience that grows with the learners. Think about it!
While I can't show you this learning yet, it will be online soon. Right now, though, you can go to our website about learning. While there, I need you to fill out the online learning initiative questionnaire . This will help us as we finish the design, and allow us to keep you up to date on new developments.
Imagine the possibilities of helping folks in an interactive community around learning they need and can use right then. Imagine nipping depressing thinking in the bud. It is coming...