Module 7

I have mixed feelings about this module’s chosen technology. For this blog, I will discuss using Facebook. Teachers are constantly looking for ways to engage learners. According to an article by Maloney, Moss and Iic (2014), “the education sector has a history of repurposing popular technologies in an effort to go to where the students are and to improve learner engagement and flexibility” (p. 688). Incorporating social media into course work not only meets the needs of the millennials, but it also promotes engagement. Social Media sites like Facebook, allow educators to construct a public or semipublic profile for their courses (Maloney, Moss, & Illic, 2014). The educator can you Facebook to supplement course content or to encourage students to collaborate on projects. In an article by Lin, Hoffman, and Borengasser (2013), they explain that social media sites like Twitter and Facebook can be used for immediate feedback in F2F classes, and the enhancement of social presence in online classes. Facebook can be used as a formative evaluation tool for faculty members. A student can post to the site immediately, and the faculty can evaluate student learning. As for peer collaboration, students have been known to create Facebook pages for courses, on the page, they can collaborate on course projects or discuss course content.

The reason that I have mixed feelings regarding this technology is because of the ethical and legal considerations. In an article by Cain and Fink (2010), they note that social media can create a host of potential legal entanglement. As a health care educator, one concern is preserving the privacy of patients. Privacy and confidentiality are fundamental principles for nursing. We have had incidents where students have posted private information about patients. Since this has occurred Mercy College has instituted a policy that enforces a code of conduct. If students post any private patient information or anything negative about a clinical site, they can be dismissed from the program. I think enforcing the policy helps combat ethical or legal issues that can arise from students. It may also be helpful to have teachers frequently monitor the Facebook pages to review the conversations between students.

The term change agent is best described by Imel (2000) as “someone who deliberately tries to bring about change or innovation” (p. 1). In the world of adult education, the educator can facilitate change in two ways; the first way is through their institution or by working with individual learners (Imel, 2000, p. 1). Nursing education practices are driven by technology and evidence-based practice. By using innovative technology strategies and assessing the effectiveness, I can help other educators transform their practices.

References

Cain, J. & Fink, J. (2010). Legal and ethical issues regarding social media and pharmacy education. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 74(10), 1-8.

Imel, S. (2000). Change: Connections to adult learning and education (Digest #221).

Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse: Adult, Career, and Vocational Education.

Retrieved February 2004 from http://www.calproonline.org/ERIC/docgen.asp?tbl=digests&ID=106

Lin, M.G., Hoffman, E.S., Borengasser, C. (2013). Is social media too social for class? A

 case study of Twitter use. TechTrends, 57(2), 39-45.

Maloney, S., Moss, A., & Ilic, D. (2014). Social media in health professional education: A student perspective on user levels and prospective applications. Adv in Health Sci Educ, 19, 687-697. Doi: 10.1007/s10459-014-9495-7

Module 6

     This blog will focus on the use of podcasting and twitter as strategies to enhance teaching and student learning. The first technology that I will discuss is podcasting. Educators that utilize and support services like YouTube and podcasting are allowing people to share and generate information with the rest of the word (Fleck, Beckman, Sterns, & Hussey, 2014). Podcasting which is like YouTube, is also a way to disseminate information. The difference is that podcasting uses audio files, as opposed to videos that are found on YouTube (Keskin & Metcalf, 2011). Learners can listen to the content at their convenience. Podcasting would be helpful in transitioning to the flipped classroom, because the learner can access the content before coming to class.  Once the learner is in class they can engage in classroom activities. These activities may include case studies, discussions and problem-based learning. Podcasting allows students to seek information at their pace and the learner processes new information that can be applied to future events.

     

     The next technology that can be used to enhance teaching and learning is Twitter. Twitter is already a popular social media tool for most millennial students. Technologies such as Twitter have attracted the interest of educators as they look for ways to engage and motivate students (Junco, Helbergert, Lokent, 2011). Twitter can be used to supplement face-to-face or online content. In an article by Lin, Hoffman, and Borengasser (2013), they explain that Twitter can be used for immediate feedback in F2F classes, and the enhancement of social presence in online classes.

     Addressing the millennial student’s needs is crucial. It is apparent that millennial students expect to use technology to enhance their learning experiences. Both technologies engage students because they encourage learners to take responsibility for their learning. With podcasting, the student has the opportunity to learn at their own pace. In the case of using Twitter, students can use their mobile devices to interact with their peers and faculty immediately.

  

     Twitter can be used as a formative evaluation tool for faculty members. Authors Lin et al., (2013) state that “Twitter can be used as a formative evaluation tool to obtain weekly evaluation from students” (p. 40). Since Twitter allows individuals to post rather quickly, faculty can create an account for their course and have students post questions or answers regarding the content. Faculty can also use Twitter to supplement class content, by posting links to websites, articles or videos. When using podcasting in courses, faculty can use classroom activities to assess how well the students are grasping the content. The educator can administer a quiz at the beginning of course or have the students complete a summary of the key points from the podcast. Based on the summary or quiz the teacher can further clarify content or provide additional resources for the students. It is evident that both technologies have a place in higher education, however the educator must consider accessibility. For example, how will the students access the podcasting. Also, the teacher must assure the podcasting has quality sound for the students. I look forward to implementing both strategies in nursing education.

References:

Fleck, B.K.B., Beckman, L.M., Sterns, J.L., & Hussey, H.D. (2014). YouTube in the classroom: Helpful tips an students perceptions. The Journal of Effective Teaching 14(3), 21-37.

Junco, R., Helbergert, G., & Lokent, E. (2011). The effect of Twitter on college student engagement and grades. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 27, 119-132. Doi:10.1111/j.136-2729.2010.00387.x

Keskin, N.O., & Metcalf, D. (2011). The current perspectives, theories ad practices of

mobile learning. The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology 10(2), 202-208.

Lin, M.G., Hoffman, E.S., Borengasser, C. (2013). Is social media too social for class? A

 case study of Twitter use. TechTrends, 57(2), 39-45.