title: The effect of podcast lectures on nursing students' knowledge retention and application.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This pilot study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of academic podcasts in promoting knowledge retention and application in nursing students.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Nursing education no longer simply occurs in a fixed location or time. Computer-enhanced mobile learning technologies, such as academic podcasts, must be grounded in pedagogically sound characteristics to ensure effective implementation and learning in nursing education.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 35 female undergraduate nursing students was randomized into three groups: a traditional face-to-face lecture group, an unsegmented (non-stop) podcast lecture group, and a segmented podcast lecture group. Retention and application of information were measured through a multiple-choice quiz and a case study based on lecture content.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students in the segmented podcast lecture group demonstrated higher scores on multiple-choice and case-study assessments than those in the other two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurse educators should be aware of this finding when seeking to employ podcast lectures in nursing education.
authors.affiliation: Thomas Edison State College, Trenton, New Jersey, USA. ksabate@aol.com
authors.forename: Karen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Abate
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D010865:Pilot Projects; D057211:Webcasts as Topic; D055815:Young Adult