Hello everyone,
Thank you to all who attended the Elizabeth Kenny McCann Journal Club on Monday, November 3rd. We had a great discussion regarding the replacement of instructor demonstration with online videos within laboratory sessions. Click here to view the article. Below is a summary of the key points we discussed in the meeting.
We reviewed a multi-method study by Kelly et al. (2009) aimed at evaluating an e-learning approach to teaching clinical nursing skills online. The case study was small and it was not entirely clear how many students were involved and how many were allocated to each group (i.e. students who watched the online videos versus students in the control group). While students in the control group did not have access to the online videos, there was no specific regulation on how many times the intervention group were able to watch the videos or if they were watched at all. The study found no significant difference between the students who watched the online videos versus those who received instructor demonstration, however, the sample size was too small to make any concrete conclusions.
An interesting finding was that male participants seemed to prefer the online videos to instructor demonstration. Older students also seemed to rate the online videos higher than younger students. Overall, however, students preferred demonstration over online videos. Our group agreed that there is value in being able to ask questions when something is not completely understood. Demonstration is also more hands on and therefore can integrate multiple learning styles. Since there was no significant difference seen in the outcomes of the study, why not continue to perform demonstration?
The question presented to the group was whether we should replace demonstration with videos. In general, the consensus was to have both and that the online videos would be available as an adjunct to instructor demonstration. While videos should be used to enhance learning in labs, they should not necessarily replace demonstration.
We also discussed if the UBC School of Nursing should incorporate more videos. What is stopping us from integrating more technology into our curriculum? One issue is finding the resources and support to make the videos to begin with. It might be beneficial to explore this option instead of asking speakers to come in and repeat a lecture every six weeks. Another reason brought forward was the amount of time and effort needed in relation to needs of the students. Usually change in a curriculum occurs as a result of the request, opinion, and push from the students. If a clear indication for more technology existed and students were actively voicing concerns, then perhaps the request would be considered more seriously.
Overall, the results int he paper were quite inconclusive. Although instructional videos do contribute to learning within a lab setting, it may not be beneficial to use them in place of teachers. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to explore this. While online learning is a good option, blended learning seems optimal. This particularly makes more sense for the profession of nursing due to the aspect of human interaction and the enhanced process of learning that occurs when having discussions with other students, faculty, and health care professionals.
Below are the presentation slides used throughout the discussion:
Thank you to all who attended and contributed to the discussion. Our next EKM event will be the Nursing Education Forum which is being held on Wednesday November 26th from 12:00-3:30 at the Sage Bistro. There are still available seats for registration. If you are interested, please email Erendira Silva (erendira.silva@alumni.ubc.ca) to be added to the guest list. This event does require registration as lunch is provided and space is limited. We look forward to exploring some contemporary issues in nursing education with you!
