Evaluating postgraduate midwifery students' experiences of a model of blended learning

Abstract

This paper describes an evaluation of postgraduate midwifery students' experiences of a model of blended learning, following completion of a newly accredited Master of Midwifery Practice (MMP) course in a Western Australian university. Successful completion of the course leads to registration as a midwife with a Master's degree. This is the first midwifery degree at Master's level offered in Western Australia, which offers another route into the midwifery profession alongside existing options for postgraduate and undergraduate students. Midwifery students enrolled on the 2-year MMP course are registered nurses, who are offered flexible learning options involving on-campus and online learning, as opposed to traditional on-campus lectures and tutorials. The evaluation consisted of a 10-part questionnaire given to 25 midwifery students, of which 17 were completed and returned. Responses were analysed by the authors and a consensus on the final interpretation was reached. Four main themes were identified from the evaluation: variety of teaching methods, feeling overwhelmed, contextualising midwifery, and support.