Evaluating a Web-Enchanced bachelor of Nursing Curriculum: Perspectives of Third year Students

The article was about the evaluation of the graduating Bachelor of Nursing (BN) students’ literacy skill and perceptions of web educational approaches and the use of technology and how does these affect their satisfaction at school. The authors would like to incorporate online learning activities within the BN program as web enhanced rather that web based. The result shows that the students’ perception of a web-enhanced learning environment was really good and their computer literacy skills and use of technology were a great influence.

A study was conducted about Adopting e-Learning Standards in Health Care: Competency-based Learning in the Medical Informatics Domain. Like many forms of education, health professions education is increasingly competency-based. At the same time, there is growing use of e-learning technologies, which can be linked to competencies via emerging e-learning standards. Health care has been slow to adopt competencies and e-learning standards. Hersh, and Bhupatiraju (2006)

Students have a positive perception of WebCT in regards to accessing the learning materials using both on- and off-campus computer terminals, flexibility in accessing the materials, and clarity in the feedback addressing performance. Students preferred an audio/video lecture format over a video-only format with written captions that had to be read. Freeman, Schrimsher, EdD, Kendrach (2006)

Perceptions of an interactive Web site used during ambulatory care clinical rotations were positive. According to Klockars SJ, Blair MM, Mazur JN, Ragucci KR, Fermo J. (2003), the survey results reinforce the continued use of this teaching method and will enable preceptors to make appropriate adjustments for future learners.

Guide Questions:
1. What do you think will be the great contribution of a Web-Enhanced Curriculum in the practice of nursing?
2. Were you able to have a Web-Enhanced curriculum in your college?
- how does it affect in your practice of nursing / daily activities?
3. Would you advice a Web-Enhanced curriculum to those colleges of nursing who does not use this kind of curriculum? why?

References:
1. William R. Hersh, MD and Ravi Teja Bhupatiraju (2006), Adopting e-Learning Standards in Health Care: Competency-based Learning in the Medical Informatics Domain. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1839696&tool=pmcentrez&rendertype=abstract

2. Freeman, Schrimsher, EdD, Kendrach (2006). Student Perceptions of Online Lectures and WebCT in an Introductory Drug Information Course. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1803708&tool=pmcentrez

3. Klockars SJ, Blair MM, Mazur JN, Ragucci KR, Fermo J. (2003). Assessment of web-based applications for ambulatory care rotations. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14632598

Due to the mushrooming of science and technology, the advancement of the way of living for almost all of the people totally discernibly.

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“Just as computers have become standard instructional tools in the primary and secondary school system, they are used extensively in all aspects of nursing education.”

The use of computer seems to be expeditious that it is widely used all over the world, may it be at hoe, at work or even in schools.
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Computers allow people to communicate effectively across large distance. This technology is extended to nursing education where students at satellite sites participate in educational experiences”

The incorporation of e-learning in the curriculum of college students, is very important that it helps in the prompt distribution of information.

Barabara Kozier, Glenora Erb, Audrey Berman, Shirlee Snyder, Fundamentals of Nursing, (7th ed.) p. 158- 159, New Jersey, Pearson Education Inc.,

Web-Enhanced curriculums, I think, is one of the best innovations in modern teaching methods. Trend of education should be forward and not backward to appeal to the new generation of learners. Although I would not go for a purely web-based curriculum. The interaction among faculty and students is still an important factor in a student's learning development.

But before integrating a web-enhanced curriculum, the colleges should first assess the readiness and capability of both student and faculty on handling that technology. Using the computer is slightly different with using the internet.
Many homes have computer and internet access. There is a huge number of internet shops across the country. But, is the availability of those congruent with the number of possible users of the curriculum? That is an important factor institutions should account for in order for the program to be successful.
There is also the question of discipline and diligence among students.

Delahoussaye, C., Neiheisel, M.(2003)WEB-BASED WEB-ENHANCED CURRICULUM. College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions The University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Retrieved on June 23, 2009 from http://www.celt.lsu.edu/cfd/E-Proceedings/WEB-BASED%20WEB-ENHANCED%20CURRICULUM.htm

Creedy, D., Mitchell, M., Seaton-Sykes, P., Cooke, M., Patterson, E., Purcell, C., Weeks, P.(2007). Evaluating a Web-enhanced bachelor of nursing curriculum: perspectives of third-year students.
The Journal of nursing education. Retrieved on June 23, 2009 from http://www.find-health-articles.com/rec_pub_17955743-evaluating-web-enhanced-bachelor-nursing-curriculum-perspectives.htm

Web-Enhanced Curriculum gives the students the opportunity to spend their extra times to some of their daily activities. An example is a clinical nurse who also works a professor in a certain hospital. He would need an extra time for him to communicate with the students. With the use of web-enhanced curriculum; it would be easy for him to correspond with the discussions.

To take full advantage of technology in education, several factors need to be addressed by nursing and other leaders in education and health care institutions, as well as by external funders and policy makers:

• Superior distance education programs require substantial institutional financial investment in equipment, infrastructure, and faculty development.
• Local, regional, and national planning for multi-site communications need to consider coordination of services, compatibility and progressive upgrading of hardware, as well as policies that lower transmission costs within and across state lines.
• The use of distance technology and in particular, Web-based media, has raised questions regarding intellectual property and copyrights, privacy of educational dialogue, and other related legal and ethical issues that require continued clarification.
• Technology-mediated teaching strategies can change dramatically the way teaching and learning occurs, challenging the traditional relationship of students to academic institutions. These strategies may change conventional thinking about how quality of educational programs is assessed and what is required to support student learning (e.g., library access, counseling services, computing equipment, tuition, and financial aid).
• Distance education technology has provided some nursing schools an advantage in recruiting students and is increasing competition among institutions.

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Were you able to have a Web-Enhanced curriculum in your college? - how does it affect in your practice of nursing / daily activities?

When I was in undergraduate course, I wasn’t able to have this kind of opportunity to learn in the comfort of my home. I have experienced going out under the blazing heat of sun and going through the long line of traffic just to be able to pass a piece of paper.

REFERENCES:
Delahoussaye, C., Neiheisel, M. Web-based Web-enhanced Curriculum. Retrieved last June 23, 2009, from http://www.celt.lsu.edu/cfd/E-Proceedings/WEB-BASED%20WEB-ENHANCED%20CURRICULUM.htm

Tri-Concil for Nursing (2005). AACN White Paper: Distance Technology in Nursing Education. Retrieved last June 23, 2009, from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Publications/positions/whitepaper.htm

The world is becoming more and more fast paced. Technology has increased so much in the last few years and this trend looks like it will continue. It is so important to keep up with these emerging technologies and the skills that are required to properly use these new gadgets. These technologies would also give advancement to students in their learning, students. In nursing education likewise, nurses would always refer to the net when paper works and research works are to be complied.

Based on the research “An exploratory study of web-enhanced learning in undergraduate nurse education”.by authors Mitchell, Elizabeth A (EA); Ryan, Assumpta (A); Carson, Oonagh (O); McCann, Siobhain (S);

As information technology is an integral component of western health care, all nurses are expected to have the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to be competent in its use.

In their study it results that Students held favourable attitudes towards web-enhanced learning but some students experienced difficulties. There was a significant positive association between the students' assignment mark and the number of times logged onto the module website. Significant negative correlations were found between mark and week of first log on, and week of first log on and number of hits onto the module site. This suggests that students who logged onto the module in the first few weeks were more likely to achieve higher marks.

Basing on the results of the study it is therefore helpful for the students to have a web-based curriculum in enhancing their performance and learning

Reference:

1. Mitchell, Elizabeth A (EA); Ryan, Assumpta (A); Carson, Oonagh (O); McCann, Siobhain (S); (2007).An exploratory study of web-enhanced learning in undergraduate nurse education. Retrieved June 23, 2009 from http://www.find-health-articles.com/rec_pub_18036119-an-exploratory-study-web-enhanced-learning-undergraduate-nurse.htm

“Web-Enhanced Curriculum gives the students the opportunity to spend their extra times to some of their daily activities. “





With the technologies of our generation, it should utilize to the fullest. It will also help the students to be competitive in all aspect of nursing. Since every one should be abreast with the trends in our society. And it provides efficiency in communicating to other people whenever and wherever you are. So, web enhanced curriculum would not only alleviate your burden but also enhances and cultivates your computer learning skills.

“There is indeed a vital need to integrate e-learning into education and industry because of its potential to make a huge impact on the corporate learning field.” (Guralnick, 2001)

Presently, e-learning is already integrated in some areas in the academe and the industry, but they are mostly confined to the Internet. Local e-learning is also possible through the use of low-cost, high-quality, and custom-designed development tools. This approach in e-learning was demonstrated to have positive impact on the students’ learning process through the use of the BlueZ Bluetooth™ module in the Bayanihan Linux version 2.0.[1]


[1] Margrette, AQ, Balintec, EP, Ballesteros, JM, Borres, MM, Galang Jr., BH, Pucyutan, BS, (n.d.). E-learning in the Philippines through the Use of
Affordable, High-Quality, and Custom-Designed Development Tools

In today’s world, computer literacy and familiarity with the Internet is no longer a choice, it is a necessity,” said Education Commissioner David P. Driscoll. “It is critical that our teachers keep up with the changing technologies so they can help prepare our students for the 21st century’s high-tech demands.”

REFERENCE:
www.doe.mass.edu

I think that most of us did not have the privilege of being enrolled in a curriculum that was web-enhanced. I view this technology as a possible enhancer in the advance of the nursing practice. In a study by Valaitis et al (2007), they iterated that even pragmatists who may are more cautious in the use of technology, along with positive communicators and shy enthusiasts, view this technology as an enabler for learning, especially if face-to-face meetings are impossible. [1] This only goes to show the power of the Net as a means of learning.


1 - Ruta Valaitis, RN, PhD Noori Akhtar-Danesh, PhD, Kevin Eva, PhD, Anthony Levinson, MD, MSc, FRCPC, and Bruce Wainman, PhD (2007), Pragmatists, Positive Communicators, and Shy Enthusiasts: Three Viewpoints on Web Conferencing in Health Sciences Education, accessed from the Journal of Medical Internet Research, www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov