REFLECTION 3: EVALUATION

In the online session last week it was questioned whether a blog will be the best “tool” to meet the teaching and learning needs for me and my students. Currently my prototype is still a blog under review, but I am at a cross road on the most effective prototype for mobile learning. I do however lean towards the notion that as long as a mobile device can access google it can access blogger. The question is should I continue with the blog or reconsider and see if I should use wiki mobile, facebook , Whats App, blackboard mobile or a combination of these.

Where am coming from and hoping to go to?????

I currently teach third year students how to do a health assessment, diagnose common conditions of a specific system and how to manage those conditions (including drug and non-drug treatment). I am trying to an effective, easily accessible prototype to assist students the bridge the gap between academic literature and their clinical experience. Somehow they can't make the link while in clinical practice. The fact that they don't carry notes and textbooks into clinical practice takes away the opportunity to do research on the conditions they encounter.

The need!

·         A review of the normal anatomy and physiology of a specific organ or system to be done (covered in human biology in the first and second year of the program) before a class session.

·         The class session is focussed on common conditions (deviation from the norm) of a specific organ or system, including the drug and non-drug management.

·         Support in clinical practice to reinforce the relationship between the normal and abnormal and how to manage common conditions effectively.

The journey!

During a review and discussion of the current blog with colleagues on Friday a colleague suggested setting up a pre and post test to allow students to review anatomy and physiology prior of a specific organ or system to every class session

Based on the survey results we discussed having lecturers and clinical facilitators available as a source of reference available while students are in clinical practice.  We would love to explore using Whats App to answer queries students may have on conditions encountered between 08H30 to 16H00 on the days of clinical practice.

Theoretical Framework   

To achieve our aim in this project there is an inclination to explore using Koole’s (2009) Framework for the Rational Analysis of Mobile Education (FRAME) as a theoretical model to “describe mobile learning as a process resulting from the convergence of mobile technologies, human learning capacities and social interaction” (Kenny, Van Neste-Kenny, Park, Burton & Meiers, 2009: 75). Koole’s (2009) FRAME model addresses contemporary pedagogical inquiries such as information overload, knowledge navigation and collaborative learning (Koole & Ally, 2006).                                                   Or

Design-Based Research

Wang and Hannafin (2005:6) defines design based research as “a systematic but flexible methodology aimed to improve educational practices through iterative analysis, design, development, and implementation, based on collaboration among researchers and practitioners in real-world settings, and leading to contextually-sensitive design principles and theories”.

Reference List

Kenny, R.F., Park, C.L, Van Neste-Kenny, J.M.C., Burton, P.A., and Meiers, J. (2009). Mobile Learning in Nursing Practice Education: Applying Koole's FRAME model. Journal of Distance Education, 23(3), 75 – 96.

Koole, M. & Ally, M.  (2006). Framework for the rational analysis of mobile education (FRAME) model: Revising the ABCs of educational practices.

Wang, F., & Hannafin, M. J. (2005). Design-based research and technology-enhanced learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 53(4), 5-23.

REFLECTION 2: INITIAL PROOF OF CONCEPT

Reflection 2: Exploration & Enactment Phase (Adapted Integrated learning design framework for online learning by Dabbagh & Banna-Ritland)

My current research and interest in emerging technology was stimulated by a year level clinical feedback meeting where clinical facilitators voiced their experience with their undergraduate nursing students that are unable to connect theory with their clinical practice. Students appear to refrain from carrying their essential clinical module guides and textbooks needed for reference into the clinical environment. Some of the debated reasons were that undergraduate nursing students may find it challenging and sometimes impractical to “cart” clinical module guides and textbooks from a stimulating and acceptable academic class room or library environment into a “restricted” clinical environment with limited availability of space for research within a generally hygienically clean or sterile clinical setting.

The information gained at this meeting indicated that there may be “real” challenges to the effective use of clinical module guides and text books as reference guidelines in a clinic or a community health centre. The need was identified to find innovative ways in which the student can be assisted to bridge this problem as they need to have resource material available at any time or at any give place to do research on conditions or procedures while off campus and in the clinical field.

Thus the reason I am attending the course on Emerging Technologies to improve Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. I came to the face-to-face workshop last week in anticipation to see which technologies have been used by the presenters and which ones will be applicable for me as a “novice emerging technologist”. Oh my, I too experienced an information overload, but the social media networks that I am comfortable with currently are wiki and facebook groups. 

After the session on Wednesday I rushed back to my office to create my first ever online survey (initially I was going to do a paper survey) to determine if our students have internet access off campus, etc. 

This is my survey and at this moment I see many gaps that I will note in future:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?pli=1&formkey=dDlQMlY4VkR2UWtJd0d5VHpXNkJEOHc6MQ#gid=0

Summary of the 8 completed responses:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/gform?key=0AgctRzSDm7J5dDlQMlY4VkR2UWtJd0d5VHpXNkJEOHc&gridId=0#chart

I had my last facilitation session which my lecture group on Thursday, 17 May 2012 and asked them to complete the online survey that I created that was emailed to them. I was amazed and disappointed that only eight responded, but saw that I actually clicked to stop accepting responses at some stage while editing the live survey. 

My summary:

1.    Majority of students have internet access off campus.

2.    It was strange to find that students are not prepared to use their personal mobile devices to access emails off campus, but they are amazingly prepared to use it to access the databases and complete tasks related to their course.

3.    They indicated that the social media networks they use daily are facebook and WhatsApp.

I did the survey to establish if students are prepared to use their mobile devices to access data related to their module while off campus and to see which social media networks they use.

Thus my decision to create a blog and a facebook group, hoping that these will be the appropriate tools for them.

Challenges to applying this approach in my own module:

·         Social media networks are not used in my department.

·         Lecturers have and are using the e-learning/e-teaching platform as an emerging technology.

·         At face value, many of the academic staff are not familiar with the application of emerging technologies to enhance teaching and learning.

To bridge this gap I am proposing a workshop as part of my research to engage my colleagues on the various technologies available and how to use it to enhance teaching and learning. I am looking forward to the input of the experts teaching us currently to assist in this workshop.

Thus far I have created a blog that I will use to evoke some interaction with our students with their module on the health assessment.

Feel free to visit: http://thehealthassessment.blog.com

This is my preliminary piece, an introduction and a few drafts, of my proposed intervention to help our students to integrate their theory and practice while doing the health assessment. Any comment and input will be appreciated.

REFLECTION 1: REFLECTION ON MY TEACHING AND LEARNING CONTEXT

Reflection on my teaching and learning context

Prior to my research (proposed intergration of mobile technology in undergraduate nursing) the nearest I came to using technology to enhance my teaching and learning context was to use powerpoint presentations in class, "dump" teaching notes and module guides on the e-learning / e-teaching platform. Hmm... Let me not forget about my positive and most supportive e-learning experience: using the platform to administer and automaticly mark tests. Students appreciated the immediate feedback.

I have however never formally completed a survey to determine my students learning needs. Using the case-based methodology I move around a lot in class during facilitation sessions and are always amazed at students using available technology (cell phones) to help them complete the case scenarios. I trust that my research will guide me on the most appropriate technology to use for my students, but facebook groups and blogging comes to mind. I am sure that this may change due to my exposure to "new" tecnology in this course.

Our fist face to face session was a mind blowing experience, but this was topped by the Adobe Connect session. To think that we were all seated in our offices, at different universities and were able to present and discuss the wiki that was edited. I can just see the possibilities to bring excitement into my teaching style that I am sure will be appreciated by my students.

Look at me now ... Since our first session I now know what RSS is, I just recognised the icon before, I am actually blogging ... There may be hope for me ...