The impact of free-standing online, asynchronous modules on student child maltreatment knowledge and skills acquisition

Training on identifying and responding to child maltreatment for students preparing for child-facing careers is often inadequate. Although the Child Advocacy Studies (CAST) curriculum developed specifically to address this need is effective, many students are in academic programs (i.e., education) that do not have room for such coursework. We evaluated the impact of free-standing asynchronous, online modules on gains in child maltreatment knowledge and skills acquisition. Education students at a regional public university participated in this two-phase study (Phase 1: n = 157; Phase 2: n = 89). In Phase 1, feedback provided on two modules, 1) Identification of Child Maltreatment and 2) Mandated Reporting was used to revise the modules. In Phase 2, change in ratings of child maltreatment and mandated reporting concepts from pre-to post-module completion was assessed. Repeated-measures analyses of variance showed gains in knowledge in how to identify child maltreatment, the impact of child maltreatment and child advocacy (all η2s = .048-.367). Although fewer significant gains were reported for concepts related to mandated reporting, significant gains were found for increased familiarity with reporting procedures and more confidence in the effectiveness of existing procedures (all η2s = .003-.271). Finally, students were significantly more likely to suspect child maltreatment for brief vignettes that had specific indicators of abuse and marginally more likely to suspect child maltreatment that indicated possible neglect (all η2s = .042-.121). Findings indicate that students perceived the use of modules for communicating essential information about detecting and responding to child maltreatment to be effective and important and that the use of asynchronous online modules can be and effective strategy for incorporating content about child maltreatment into educational programs in which students cannot take entire courses on child maltreatment. • Training on identifying and responding to child maltreatment for students preparing for child-facing careers is often inadequate and it is difficult for teaching candidates to fit courses on child maltreatment into their programs of study. • Findings of this study indicate that the use of asynchronous online modules can be and effective strategy for incorporating content about child maltreatment into educational programs. • In addition, students perceived the use of modules for communicating essential information about detecting and responding to child maltreatment to be effective and important.