Reflections of Student Nurses on the Use of All Media Application to Improve Their Learning

Purpose:

In 2011/2012 smartphones became the most used globally connected computer device when smartphone ownership outnumbered basic cell phone ownership (Cochrane, 2014: 65). Instructional methods of teaching have progressed from board and chalk, overhead projectors and Microsoft PowerPoint lectures to the application of technology as a new method of instruction. Emerging technology affords students with an opportunity to visualise and interact with learning content using multimedia, rich-graphics, animation, simulation and virtual environments (Madeira, Sousa, Pires, Esteves & Dias, 2009: 2441). Educationalists, researchers, and companies who develop learning systems and publish instructional material are increasingly displaying an interest in the use of mobile learning (Uzunboylu, Cavus & Ercag, 2009: 381). The objective of this study was to review the experiences of student nurses on the improvement of primary health care education at a School of Nursing at a University in the Western Cape, South Africa, through the incorporation of a social media application.

Methods:

A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and contextual design was used to explore and describe data collected from a purposive sample of 29 undergraduate nursing students who gave voluntary consent to be included in the study. The study population was engaged in a WhatsApp discussion group to enhance their integration of theory and clinical practice of the health assessment competency of the Primary Health Care Module. Participants submitted electronic reflections on their experiences in the WhatsApp discussion group via email on completion of the study. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data collected was done according to Tesch’s (1990) steps of descriptive data analysis in order to identify the major themes in the study. The electronic reflections were analysed to explore their rich, reflective data.

Results:

Seven themes were identified that included: a positive experiences; usefulness for the integration of theory and clinical practice; availability of resources;  opportunity for clarification; anonymity; exclusion due to an appropriate device, battery life span challenges.

Conclusion:

The results of the experiences of undergraduate nursing studentson the use of a social media application to enhance their teaching and learning experience could be used to inform the use of innovative practices in teaching and learning, with the purpose of enhancing the integration of the theory and clinical practice.