When we first met the CEO and Founder of TympaHealth, an Ear Nose and Throat doctor who had developed a pioneering all-in-one hearing health assessment system, the start-up was already enjoying success, with interest from Boots Hearing Care, SpecSavers, and Apple - to name a few. The TympaHealth System is cutting edge - and they needed training to match it.

Up until then, the team had been using face-to-face methods, inviting each cohort of healthcare practitioners to a 2-day training event, with lectures by ENT doctors and hands-on activities. We talked about making the transition to a blended approach which would be more scalable as demand for training grew. By providing online self-study modules to learners in advance, the team could reduce the amount of in-person training required and also dedicate a greater proportion of that time to the practical activities which were really popular with participants. 

Over a period of a few weeks, we built an online module based on their training materials - Powerpoint slides, PDFs, and so on - which could be piloted with their next cohort of learners. This included a number of interactive videos - mini-lectures to cover key points on the anatomy and physiology of the ear and demonstrations of correct technique when using the equipment. The feedback on this pilot was very positive - for example, 94% of the learners surveyed agreed that the online and in-person training worked well together without unnecessary repetition or contradiction.

Since then, we have been working with the Tympa team to take the learning to the next level, providing recommendations for the next iteration of both the online and in-person elements. Covid-19 has delayed the next stage of our work together, but we’re making plans to improve the experience for learners and trainers alike. The key is focusing on making best use of the different learning environments, so that the blended programme is as effective and engaging as possible.