Nine Facts about the Palliative Care Training with LDM Online

1. How much study time does each hospice palliative course take?

Each 3 week course requires approximately 15 hours of course work. That being said, each learner brings with them their own background knowledge, experience and interests in palliative care. Therefore the average learner puts 15 hours of work into a course. Some individuals spend more time while others spend less, depending on their interest, background and experience.

2. How is learning with LDM Online different from classroom learning?

Online and classroom learning share many similarities - they both require that learners engage with resources, often readings, video or podcasts, to learn about the course topics. Both also require learners to synthesize this information and engage with it to use in their own practice.

Online and classroom learning differs in many ways -  Classrooms have lectures whilie online usually has podcasts (recorded lectures) from instructors and subject matter experts. Discussions with fellow learners usually happen in online forums rather than in real time discussion. Interestingly there can often be more discussions in online forums than in person.

3. Will I receive a grade for the palliative care course?

We appreciate that the learners in our courses are adults and are engaged in continuing education. From this perspective, continuing education is primarily graded on course completion rather than letter grades. For those needing a letter grade, we assign grades based on the number of assignments each person completes - A = 6 assignments, B = 5 assignments etc.

4. Are my assignment postings anonymous?

It is your choice to reveal as much or as little of yourself in the assignment forums. Your username and posting name are entirely up to you, therefore you can choose to as anonymous as you wish to be.

5. What are the costs for the courses?

Each 3 week course is $199.00 Canadian. Longer courses have prorated fees. These fees can be paid through Paypal online. If you would prefer not to use Paypal on your own, we can assist you with payment. Just contact us.

We have had many individuals successfully apply to their employers for continuing education reimbursement. We are happy to supply documentation of course completion for this purpose. Talk with your employer or Human Resources contact to determine if these palliative care courses qualify for continuing education in your workplace.

6.  What courses are required to complete a certificate?

Completion of the certificate in Death, Dying and Palliative Care from Life and Death Matters requires learners to successfully complete 9 courses. That's it! If you are interested in completing the certificate but would like to custom design the focus of your study, please Contact Kath for more information.

7. What are the prerequisites for these courses?

While there are no official prerequisites, it is helpful to know that these courses are geared for those providing care for the dying. This includes nurses, health care workers, volunteers, clergy, and family members. While each person brings their own experience to the course, they will also take away with them a level of knowledge appropriate for their caregiving.

8. What type of support is available for lost passwords and other problems?

We are available to help make this a positive learning experience for you and therefore encourage you to ask questions and request assistance rather than persisting on your own. There is a database of information at LDMonline under the FAQ tab (Frequently Asked Questions). If you cannot find an answer then please ask us. That's what we are here for - to help you learn with LDMonline. So drop us an email to let us know how we can help.

9. What type of computer equipment do I need to participate in these courses?

This is probably the most frequently asked question. And it is usually paired with "I don't really know much about the internet - will I be able to learn?"

For the first question, each learner needs access to a computer, PC or Macintosh, and an internet connection. While the internet connection doesn't have to be high speed, it does make things a bit simpler if you do have a high speed connection.

Most libraries do have high speed connections which some of our learners use, for example, to listen to the podcasts or watch the online video segments. The majority of the time you can easily complete an online course with a dial up connection.

As to the second question, we are happy to provide all learners with an individual "virtual tour" of the learning site, where we can walk you through logins, accessing courses, posting assignments etc. In addition we are also available through email to answer questions during the courses - e.g. "I've lost my assignment online = can you help me find it?" Most people are quite comfortable with learning online once they have completed the first assignment. In fact, it often opens up many new opportunities once learners are over the first hurdle!