Making Neuroscience Important and Relevant: Online Learning in an Innovative Bachelor of Dementia Care Program

Neuroscience is an important component of STEM disciplines and fundamental to understanding dementia, a growing worldwide public health issue. Understanding the neuropathology and clinical manifestations of dementia is important for those who need to provide effective daily care for adults with dementia. Dementia care workers form a non-traditional student cohort and the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre at the University of Tasmania (Australia) has developed a fully online Bachelor of Dementia Care degree to facilitate their educational and professional development. This paper documents the success of 65 adult learners as they completed four neuroscience units in the degree. Adult learners with no previous university experience performed similarly to those with university experience suggesting that this unique online degree is appropriately designed for students with limited educational backgrounds. Analysis of students’ comments on the impact of their neuroscience learning indicated increased understanding and confidence in the care they provided.