Use of iPod™ technology in medical-surgical nursing courses: effect on grades.
Advances in computer technology, such as the portable and affordable iPod™, allow students to view lectures anywhere at any time. iPods™ are of special interest for nurse educators who strive to meet demands posed by a critical nursing shortage. A mixed-methods pilot study was conducted to assess whether iPod™ could be an effective teaching tool for medical-surgical nursing lectures. In a randomized study with 35 participants, together with eight students having their own iPods™, grades of students given pre-recorded class lectures on iPods™ were compared with grades of those who attended lectures without iPods™. Learning styles, amount and use of students devoted to iPod™ lectures were considered as well as grades. Most results were not significant, but there was some evidence that the control groups who attended classroom lectures received better grades than iPod™ users, and individuals who used iPod™ more frequently before the final exam received lower grades. These somewhat surprising results suggest the need for further research in the use of this technology as a resource for nursing education delivery.
University Medical Center, Tucson, USA. rsjrn@me.com
Robert
R
Johnston
Joseph
J
Hepworth
Melissa
M
Goldsmith
Cheryl
C
Lacasse
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education*; D007858:Learning; D055539:MP3-Player / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D013527:Perioperative Nursing / Q000193:education*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D015206:Southwestern United States; D013041:Specialties, Nursing / Q000193:education*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology