Learner Engagement Patterns in an E-Learning Palliative Care Program: A Usage-Based Analysis of eELCA Course Participants

Abstract

E-learning has become widely accepted as an effective means of providing palliative care education to healthcare and social care professionals. However, we know very little about how learners use digital tools in this field. The study examines how learners utilise the end-of-life care (eELCA) program by analysing the most popular modules, the time spent on them, completion rates, and their learning behaviour. A descriptive analysis was done using information (2016-2017) from the Spanish eELCA Learning Management System cohort. We studied module login frequency, the duration of their sessions, whether students completed the course, and anonymised demographic details. Engagement behaviour was examined using descriptive statistics.

Advance Care Planning and Assessment for end-of-life care were accessed most frequently, suggesting that learners believed them to be highly relevant. Users spend varying amounts of time interacting with the modules, likely due to differences in learning preferences and material difficulty. Learners with a strong interest in specific topics worked through these modules, although fewer learners accessed them. The study reveals that learners interact selectively, primarily based on how closely the content aligns with their knowledge needs. They demonstrate that flexible e-learning is the most effective approach for palliative care education. Future work should connect engagement with performance outcomes and utilise inferential techniques to gain a deeper understanding of learning habits.