Monday, July 11, 2011
Juliana J. Brixey, PhD
School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX
James P. Turley, PhD, RN
School of Health Information Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center - Houston, Houston, TX
Learning Objective 1: define Social Media.
Learning Objective 2: identify five different Web 2.0 tools for use in nursing and biomedical informatics education.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify social networking tools and technologies suitable for use in nursing and biomedical informatics education. Social Media is gaining acceptance by educators to deliver course content, create health care simulations, develop informatics literacy skills, and encourage the development of lasting professional connections for graduate students. Although Web 2.0 implies a newer version of the internet, it is actually the way software developers and users interact and use internet-based tools and technologies. Web 2.0 technologies support ubiquitous computing. The user no longer relies on software installed on a computer but can access the application on any computer using a web browser. Social media is social in the fact that the tools and technologies link people together as active contributors who customize internet content and applications. The purpose of this study is to identify social networking tools and technologies suitable for use in nursing and biomedical informatics education.
Methods: A review of the internet was conducted using the search phrases “Web 2.0”, “education”, and “social media”.
Results: Some of the best known social media includes:
- blogs
- microblogging
- videoblogs
- wikis
- podcasting
- social networking
- social book marking
- RSS feeds
- folksonomies
- SMS (Small Message Service)
- virtual worlds
Conclusion: There are many social media applications available for use in nursing and biomedical informatics education. Social media can be used to help develop competencies in computer and informatics literacy. Furthermore social media can be used to foster lasting professional collegial connections and networks for graduate students Social media. It is imperative that today’s nurse educator be familiar with social media, the implications for use in education, and the need to critically evaluate any application before introducing into the classroom.
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