Transitioning the Knuston Diabetes Counselling and Empowerment Skills Course to an online format: an exploration of the experiences of educators

Introduction: Since the coronavirus pandemic, the amount of healthcare education provided online has increased enormously. Research has generally focused on the effectiveness of online courses. Little attention has been given to the lived experiences of educators transitioning their courses to an online format. This paper explores the thoughts and feelings of a team of educators who recently experienced such a transition. Methods: In this qualitative study, a team of healthcare educators participated in a focus group or individual interview to explore what they learned from transitioning a four-day residential course teaching counselling skills and empowerment philosophy to healthcare professionals to an online format. A reflexive thematic analysis was employed to identify the themes that emerged from the data. Results: Six key themes emerged: 1) impact of COVID-19; 2) initial perspectives; 3) support; 4) disintegration to reintegration; 5) understanding the relationship between the old and the new; and 6) future planning. Conclusions: Transitioning an educational course from an in-person to an online format can initially be difficult but, with appropriate support, it is achievable and worthwhile. The process of transitioning a much-cherished course online was both an intellectual and an emotional process. Practice implications: It is hoped that this paper will help to guide those transitioning a course traditionally taught in-person to an online format.