Abstract
Introduction
The SAFE EUROPE project, a European-funded project, addressed educational gaps of Therapeutic Radiographers/Radiation Therapists (TR/RTTs) by offering a series of free webinars. This study aimed to assess the quality of these webinars and their impact on professional practice.
Methods
Data collection involved two methods: an automated feedback form administered after each webinar, supplemented by a survey disseminated through social media. The collected data encompassed attendance statistics, participants’ professions and geographic locations, webinar quality assessment, the acquisition of new knowledge and skills, the application of this newfound knowledge in practice, and the likelihood of recommending these webinars. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyse the quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Ethical approval for the study was obtained.
Results
11,286 individuals from 107 countries participated in 18 webinars. Despite 72.7% being radiographers, a diverse array of professionals attended the webinars, including medical physicists, oncologists, radiologists, and academics. Remarkably, 98.7% of respondents rated the webinar quality as either good or excellent. The average rating for the likelihood of recommending these webinars to colleagues was 8.96/10. A substantial proportion of respondents expressed agreement or strong agreement that the webinars enhanced their knowledge (85%) and skills (73%). Furthermore, 79% of participants indicated that the webinars motivated them to change practice, with 65% having already implemented these changes. The insights from open-ended questions corroborated these findings.
Conclusion
The webinars effectively achieved the aim of the SAFE EUROPE project to enhance practice by increasing knowledge and skills. Participants overwhelmingly endorsed the quality of these webinars.
Implications for practice
Webinars represent a cost-efficient training tool that reaches a global audience and various radiography/radiotherapy professions. The development of additional webinars is strongly recommended.
The SAFE EUROPE project, a European-funded project, addressed educational gaps of Therapeutic Radiographers/Radiation Therapists (TR/RTTs) by offering a series of free webinars. This study aimed to assess the quality of these webinars and their impact on professional practice.
Methods
Data collection involved two methods: an automated feedback form administered after each webinar, supplemented by a survey disseminated through social media. The collected data encompassed attendance statistics, participants’ professions and geographic locations, webinar quality assessment, the acquisition of new knowledge and skills, the application of this newfound knowledge in practice, and the likelihood of recommending these webinars. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyse the quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Ethical approval for the study was obtained.
Results
11,286 individuals from 107 countries participated in 18 webinars. Despite 72.7% being radiographers, a diverse array of professionals attended the webinars, including medical physicists, oncologists, radiologists, and academics. Remarkably, 98.7% of respondents rated the webinar quality as either good or excellent. The average rating for the likelihood of recommending these webinars to colleagues was 8.96/10. A substantial proportion of respondents expressed agreement or strong agreement that the webinars enhanced their knowledge (85%) and skills (73%). Furthermore, 79% of participants indicated that the webinars motivated them to change practice, with 65% having already implemented these changes. The insights from open-ended questions corroborated these findings.
Conclusion
The webinars effectively achieved the aim of the SAFE EUROPE project to enhance practice by increasing knowledge and skills. Participants overwhelmingly endorsed the quality of these webinars.
Implications for practice
Webinars represent a cost-efficient training tool that reaches a global audience and various radiography/radiotherapy professions. The development of additional webinars is strongly recommended.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 869-881 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Radiography |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Early online date | 9 Apr 2024 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published online - 9 Apr 2024 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2024 The Authors
Keywords
- Continuous professional development
- Webinars
- Radiographers
- Radiation therapists
- Education and training
