Dr Sonya Moore awarded GEM Scott Fellowship to improve online learning experience

Dr Sonya Moore has been awarded the GEM Scott Fellowship in recognition of her excellent work in improving online clinical education. She has received $65,000 to further develop her educational scholarship and undertake a project focused on improving the teaching of clinical skills in a wholly online environment.

Pictured:  Dr Sonya Moore

Named ‘Bridging a gap between online clinical education and inperson clinical practice: a wholly online approach to advancing clinical skills’, Dr Moore’s project aims to enhance online models of teaching, learning and assessing the practical and interpersonal skills involved in clinical work. Through being informed by industry benchmarks, these models will be industry accreditable.

The project will have interprofessional applications, and will benefit teaching and learning practices across the University more broadly.

While clinical skills education has traditionally been delivered in person, there is a need to substantiate evidence-based approaches to teaching and learning in online environments – a point most recently emphasised by the COVID-19 pandemic, but one that is also based on the increased flexibility that online learning provided students before last year.

Dr Moore said it was a privilege to receive the Fellowship, and is keen to begin work on the project.

‘Teaching and learning online has enormous benefits. Students have work and other commitments, and online learning allows these activities to continue alongside their studies’.

‘To be able to teach, learn and assess practical and interpersonal skills online will allow these benefits to be realised’, she said.

Dr Moore has previously developed the online Masters of Sports Medicine program, which you can learn more about here.