Integrating Technologies in an Online Nursing Course

Abstract

This paper presents strategies to integrate technologies into an online nursing course. The strategies include three visual reflective assignments asking students to draw pictures and make teaching videos using software. Students not only met learning objectives but also generated good learning outcomes and experienced positive emotions and meaningful learning

Traditional pedagogy where the teacher is the content expert and imparts knowledge through the courses using a passive learning and assessment approach is no longer sufficient to prepare professional nurses for their evidence-based and leadership roles in transforming health care. Technologies have been proven to be effective to engage students in online nursing education [1, 2]. The committee on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing at the Institute of Medicine [3] has called for instilling Bachelor of Science (BS) students with a broader perspective and meaningful learning by using technologies. The ultimate goal of using technologies is to create a learning environment for nursing students to have a meaningful learning experience.

In a BS level’s online nursing course that teaches students how to be a nurse educator, we updated three written reflective assignments to be visual reflective (VR) assignments, which require students to use software to draw pictures or make teaching videos online (see Appendix for detailed instructions). These teaching innovations using technologies are for students to experience the skills of analyzing, evaluating, and creating, and to make connections between the new knowledge and their life experiences.

The activity of each assignment was aligned with the learning objectives of the related learning modules. For example, the learning objectives for the first assignment are for students (1) to understand two concepts which include a learning theory and the physical, emotional, experiential, and knowledge (PEEK) readiness assessment tool; (2) to apply those concepts to their life experiences. The assignments were graded following a rubric (see Table 1), which measured the contents, grammar, and structure of the picture/video’s description, and the presentation of the picture/video product. The evaluation of the presentation focused on how the product revealed the students’ understanding of the module, the connection between the product and the thoughts, and the originality of the product. The skills and techniques of using technologies to make the product were not evaluated, since this is not an art class.

Table 1.

Rubric

	Novice	Competent	Proficient
Content	10 to 29 points	30 to 49 points	50 to 60 points
	• Content is poor and not developed. • No integration or synthesis of new knowledge. • No connection between course material and life experiences.	• Content addresses required elements in the instructions but could be more comprehensive. • Synthesis and integration of new knowledge need more development. • Good connection of course material to life experiences.	• Excellent content. • All required elements in the instructions were addressed. • Excellent integration and synthesis of new knowledge based on course material. • Excellent connection to life experiences.
Grammar and structure	1 to 4 points	5 to 8 points	9 to 10 points
	• Many grammar errors noted. • Missing introduction, body, or conclusion. • The description is difficult to follow.	• Few grammar errors noted. • Introduction, body, and conclusion are presented but difficult to find. • The description is somewhat easy to follow and understand.	• No grammar errors noted. • Introduction, body, and conclusion are presented clearly. • The description is easy to follow and understand.
Presentation	0 to 9 points	10 to 19 points	20 to 30 points
	• The picture lacks an understanding of the module. • The picture is difficult to relate to module and lacks reflection to thoughts. • The product does not demonstrate new thought and duplicates others’ ideas or images. • The author frequently mispronounces words or mumbles, and is unorganized in the video. • Picture or the video is of poor quality.	• The picture shows an understanding of the module. • A connection can be made between picture and thoughts. • The product shows evidence of originality, inventiveness, and creativity, but is based on an extensive collection of other’s ideas, products, and images to provide new insight. • The author speaks clearly and distinctly most of the time in the video. • Picture or the video is of acceptable quality.	• The picture shows a great understanding of the module. • A clear connection can be made between picture and thoughts. • The product demonstrates originality, inventiveness, and creativity. • The author speaks clearly and distinctly in the video. • Picture or the video is of good quality.

Figures 1 and 2 are the examples of students’ works for the first assignment. Although the examples were very different in pictures, contents, and the techniques, both met the learning objectives. When students tried to include two concepts before creating a cartoon, they must analyze and evaluate all of the learned materials and their past life experiences in order to find the right fit for the cartoon scenario. The average grade of this assignment for the entire class (15 total students) was 95 (range 90–97). In an after-course survey, 93% (13 out of 14) students reported they had positive emotions while working on the assignments.

Fig. 1.

Student’s example 1. In this cartoon, a nurse is getting the patient’s vital signs. A machine took a measurement of the patient and determined that the patient was ready to learn on all levels of the PEEK assessment tool. The patient is also describing characteristics of humanistic theory of learning to the nurse. This cartoon includes two concepts of the learning module: the PEEK assessment tool and the humanistic theory of learning

Fig. 2.

Student’s example 2. The cartoon collage presents two choices nurses could make when educating patients. The first choice is to educate every patient the same and ignore patients’ individual needs. The nurse presents every faceless robotic patient with written discharge paperwork, which may decrease in quality of care and the possibility of a high readmission rate. The second choice is to raise the BAR at each shift. BAR is acronym created to help the nurse assess each patient’s learning needs and capabilities. This cartoon collage includes two concepts of the learning module: individualized learning assessment and culturally competent care

Integrating technologies in the VR assignments in an online nursing course was relevant and significant to students’ learning. This article provides strategies for students to reflect learning materials by drawing pictures or making teaching videos online using software. Students not only met the learning objectives with outstanding learning outcomes but also enjoy the learning process and experienced the meaningful learning.

Appendix

Instructions of VR Assignments

VR Assignment One

1. Draw or use an available picture (e.g., cartoon, concept map, or any other visual product) to reflect what you have learned from module 2.

   1. The picture should reflect at least 2 concepts from module 2.
   2. I encourage you to create your very own picture.

      • i.
        If you want to draw a picture form your computer, you may search online for the visual tools (e.g., Google drawings).
      • ii.
        If you draw a picture using pencil and paper, you may take a photo of it and paste it to your word document.

2. Describe the picture and discuss the concepts reflected in the picture.

VR Assignment Two

1. Draw or use an available picture to reflect what you have learned from module 3.

2. Describe the picture and discuss the concepts reflected in the picture.

3. Make a teaching video to let your target population understand what your picture means.

4. Upload your video to your cloud account or YouTube

5. Submit the link of your teaching video.

VR Assignment Three

1. Evaluate your own teaching video using one of the evaluation tools in module 4.

2. Draw or use an available picture to reflect what you have learned from the evaluation.

3. Describe the picture and discuss the concepts reflected in the picture.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

Conflict of Interest

The author declares the he has no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

Yes

Informed Consent

Exempted