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. 2021 Aug 21;8(4):477–485. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnss.2021.08.004

Table 3.

Characteristics of mixed methods studies included in this review.

Author, year, Location Study aim Sample size Methods and data analysis Outcome
Mather et al., 2016 [30]
Australia		 To investigate the use of mobile learning by undergraduate student nurses revealed barriers, challenges, risks, and benefits to using mobile learning at the workplace. Undergraduate nurses (sample size not provided) Online survey study and guided questions, method of quantity data analysis was not stated, thematic coding.
  • 1

    Students indicated use of mobile devices easier access to resource and useful for communication.

  • 2

    Students indicated mobile devices facilitated efficient and effective time management that positively impact on learning opportunities.

  • 3

    Student comments focused on “battery life, screen size”, “availability of charging ports”, “speed of the Internet” or devices loaded with resources “may not be regularly updated”.

  • 4

    Theft or loss of the device.

  • 5

    Students also concerned it may look unprofessional to be seen using mobile technology as it may not be assumed it is being used for educational purposes.
Burke et al., 2014 [34]
USA		 To investigate students’ views on podcast materials. 87 nursing students Questionnaire study and open-ended questions, method of quantity data analysis was not stated, thematic coding. Students believed podcasts enriched their learning, and reported podcasts as valuable tools in the learning environment. Most students would recommend podcasting in other courses.
Lai et al., 2016 [35]
Taiwan, China		 To investigate the benefits of using the mobile e-portfolio-based system. 10 s-year nursing students Questionnaire study and open-ended questions, content analysis method
  • 1

    Students displayed very positive attitudes overall when using the system.

  • 2

    There were some occasional stresses and technical difficulties including: adopting the proper mobile device, providing students with clear guidance on constructing the e-portfolio, and how to use the e-portfolio in a clinical setting.
Wu et al., 2014 [31]
Taiwan, China		 To investigate the benefits of using mobile devices and cloud learning. 68 fourth-year nursing students Questionnaire study and in-depth interviews, χ2 test.
  • 1

    Most students expressed a positive attitude toward and were satisfied with the innovative learning method. They thought it was useful and convenient, enhanced the students’ memory, reduced learning stress, and increased their confidence in using professional skills.

  • 2

    Students recognized four characteristics of the learning environment, which were convenience, immediacy, interactivity, and assistance
O'Connor et al., 2018 [32]
Ireland		 To investigate students’ views on the use of smartphones with an installed app. 200 undergraduate nursing students Questionnaire study and open-ended questions, descriptive statistics, thematic analysis.
  • 1

    Fewer than half of 200 students used mobile apps to help them learn in clinical practice.

  • 2

    Calculators, drug reference guides and medical dictionaries were used with varying frequency.

  • 3

    Students reported numerous benefits of mobile technology such as better access to educational material, improvements in knowledge and confidence, and reduced levels of anxiety.

  • 4

    Barriers such as negative attitudes of nursing staff, poor Wi-Fi connectivity, and the quality of educational content available on mobile apps.
Dearnley et al., 2008 [36]
United Kingdom		 To investigate the feasibility. 24 midwife students Questionnaire study and group focus, descriptive statistics, QRS software for qualitative data analysis.

  • 1Students liked the convenience of the Pocket PC but disliked its reliability.

  • 2

    Students were anxious about the reliability of the device and the possibility of losing assessment data.
Gallegos et al., 2019 [33]
USA		 To describe students’ perceptions of engagement and learning using a mobile device 59 undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students Online survey study and oral interviews, analyzed using conventional content analysis.
  • 1

    Students reported a positive experience.

  • 2

    Students benefited from thoughtful, intentional mobile device use that engaged them with course ideas, limited off-task distractions, and improved collaborative experiences with peers and the instructor.