Asana Lydia, Irabor Credit, Seppo Samuel, Jean Chrystelle, Ngoma Twalib, Elzawawy Ahmed, Ngwa Wilfred
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
University of Central Florida, USA, 4000 Central Florida Blvd, Orlando, FL 32816, USA.
Ecancermedicalscience. 2021 Mar 23;15:1211. doi: 10.3332/ecancer.2021.1211. eCollection 2021.
Recent work has highlighted the tremendous potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in advancing global oncology education, research and care. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the development of effective approaches for online education even more crucial. Here we assessed the readiness, interest and potential models for effective implementation of ICT-powered oncology education in Africa.
Building on previous work by the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), a survey was conducted to assess the electronic learning (e-Learning) readiness of oncology health professionals using an online self-assessment tool. Components of e-Learning readiness assessed include access to computers, Internet, appropriate bandwidth and interest. As a practical test model, an ICT resource-intensive radiation oncology training programme was implemented via the Global Oncology University (GO-U) collaborative education platform. An analysis of results, challenges and opportunities resulting from these is discussed for advancing online oncology education in Africa.
The survey showed over 92% of health professionals have access to computers, laptops or other technology that can allow them to participate in online education. Over 45% of oncology health professionals have already participated in some form of online education. Interest in online education was over 93%. Models for effective online learning in oncology include synchronous and asynchronous short-term courses for continuous education and long-term degree and residency programmes. There was a significant increase in skills level following the collaborative radiation oncology training model used by the GO-U platform.
Africa has the capacity to implement successful e-Learning in oncology, which is consistent with findings in previous work such as the AORTIC. Greater investment by institutions and governments is needed in terms of resources and policy changes to facilitate the implementation of effective online oncology training. Purposeful engagement of diaspora oncology health professionals with relevant cultural backgrounds as with some current collaborative efforts is highly recommended in helping turn brain drain into brain circulation.
近期的工作凸显了信息通信技术（ICT）在推进全球肿瘤学教育、研究和护理方面的巨大潜力。新冠疫情使开发有效的在线教育方法变得更加至关重要。在此，我们评估了在非洲有效实施由ICT驱动的肿瘤学教育的准备情况、兴趣及潜在模式。
基于非洲癌症研究与培训组织（AORTIC）之前的工作，开展了一项调查，使用在线自我评估工具来评估肿瘤学卫生专业人员的电子学习（e-Learning）准备情况。评估的电子学习准备情况的组成部分包括计算机、互联网、适当带宽的获取情况及兴趣。作为一个实际测试模型，通过全球肿瘤大学（GO-U）协作教育平台实施了一个资源密集型的放射肿瘤学培训项目。讨论了由此产生的结果、挑战和机遇，以推进非洲的在线肿瘤学教育。
调查显示，超过92%的卫生专业人员能够使用计算机、笔记本电脑或其他技术参与在线教育。超过45%的肿瘤学卫生专业人员已经参加过某种形式的在线教育。对在线教育的兴趣超过93%。肿瘤学有效在线学习的模式包括用于继续教育的同步和异步短期课程以及长期学位和住院医师项目。采用GO-U平台的协作放射肿瘤学培训模式后，技能水平有显著提高。
非洲有能力在肿瘤学领域成功实施电子学习，这与AORTIC等先前工作的结果一致。机构和政府需要在资源和政策变革方面加大投资，以促进有效的在线肿瘤学培训的实施。强烈建议像目前一些合作努力那样，让具有相关文化背景的侨民肿瘤学卫生专业人员有目的地参与进来，以帮助将人才外流转变为人才环流。
