Reflexive Views of Virtual Communities of Practice among Informal and Formal Caregivers of People with a Dementia Disease
Lukic, Sandra LU ; Lethin, Connie LU
; Christensen, Jonas
and Malmgren Fänge, Agneta
LU
(2024)
In Healthcare (Switzerland)
12(13).
- Abstract
Knowledge seems to mitigate the consequences of dementia and new educational strategies are required. This study aimed to qualitatively explore the reflexive views and experiences of virtual Communities of Practice (vCoP) among informal and formal caregivers of people with dementia and explore vCoP as a tool for learning and knowledge development. Data were collected in a sequence of virtual workshops and analyzed and synthesized using thematic analysis. For the informal caregivers, one main theme emerged: Learning and support, comprising three subthemes: Strategies for learning; Creating emotional support; and in need of professional support. Among formal caregivers, one main theme emerged: Professional development, comprising two... (More)
Knowledge seems to mitigate the consequences of dementia and new educational strategies are required. This study aimed to qualitatively explore the reflexive views and experiences of virtual Communities of Practice (vCoP) among informal and formal caregivers of people with dementia and explore vCoP as a tool for learning and knowledge development. Data were collected in a sequence of virtual workshops and analyzed and synthesized using thematic analysis. For the informal caregivers, one main theme emerged: Learning and support, comprising three subthemes: Strategies for learning; Creating emotional support; and in need of professional support. Among formal caregivers, one main theme emerged: Professional development, comprising two subthemes: Sharing and gaining knowledge and Knowledge as a professional tool. vCoP and collaborative learning using an educational platform seem to support learning and professional development among informal and formal caregivers, respectively. As a collaborative, virtual activities seem to provide practical and emotional support and promote professional development; vCoP seem to have the potential to promote the resilience and sustainability of care. Further research is necessary to gain an understanding of the effects of Communities of Practice (CoP) and vCoP and their successful implementation in care practices as well as the potential of using CoP in continuing professional development, CPD.
(Less)
- author
- Lukic, Sandra
LU
; Lethin, Connie
LU
; Christensen, Jonas
and Malmgren Fänge, Agneta
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-07
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- digital education, KnowDem project, knowledge, learning, professional development, thematic analysis, workshops
- in
- Healthcare (Switzerland)
- volume
- 12
- issue
- 13
- article number
- 1285
- publisher
- MDPI AG
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:38998820
- scopus:85198333944
- ISSN
- 2227-9032
- DOI
- 10.3390/healthcare12131285
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 2268c353-3286-41a6-a64a-f1354f64d43d
- date added to LUP
- 2024-09-27 15:10:00
- date last changed
- 2025-07-05 18:33:26
@article{2268c353-3286-41a6-a64a-f1354f64d43d,
abstract = {{<p>Knowledge seems to mitigate the consequences of dementia and new educational strategies are required. This study aimed to qualitatively explore the reflexive views and experiences of virtual Communities of Practice (vCoP) among informal and formal caregivers of people with dementia and explore vCoP as a tool for learning and knowledge development. Data were collected in a sequence of virtual workshops and analyzed and synthesized using thematic analysis. For the informal caregivers, one main theme emerged: Learning and support, comprising three subthemes: Strategies for learning; Creating emotional support; and in need of professional support. Among formal caregivers, one main theme emerged: Professional development, comprising two subthemes: Sharing and gaining knowledge and Knowledge as a professional tool. vCoP and collaborative learning using an educational platform seem to support learning and professional development among informal and formal caregivers, respectively. As a collaborative, virtual activities seem to provide practical and emotional support and promote professional development; vCoP seem to have the potential to promote the resilience and sustainability of care. Further research is necessary to gain an understanding of the effects of Communities of Practice (CoP) and vCoP and their successful implementation in care practices as well as the potential of using CoP in continuing professional development, CPD.</p>}},
author = {{Lukic, Sandra and Lethin, Connie and Christensen, Jonas and Malmgren Fänge, Agneta}},
issn = {{2227-9032}},
keywords = {{digital education; KnowDem project; knowledge; learning; professional development; thematic analysis; workshops}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{13}},
publisher = {{MDPI AG}},
series = {{Healthcare (Switzerland)}},
title = {{Reflexive Views of Virtual Communities of Practice among Informal and Formal Caregivers of People with a Dementia Disease}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12131285}},
doi = {{10.3390/healthcare12131285}},
volume = {{12}},
year = {{2024}},
}