Comparing student achievement in traditional learning with a combination of blended and flipped learning

Expectations, experiences and challenges of nursing students using the virtual learning medium during the COVID-19 pandemic: A descriptive phenomenological study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic caused several higher educational institutions to switch from traditional face-to-face to virtual learning medium. This abrupt shift came with new expectations, experiences and challenges to nursing/ midwifery students, particularly new users, and even more so when preparation, orientation, and support were lacking or ineffective. The present study therefore aimed at exploring the expectations, experiences and challenges of nursing students using the virtual learning medium during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

This was a descriptive phenomenological design using 12 purposively sampled nursing and midwifery students from a public university in Ghana. With the aid of a semi-structured guide, individual face-to-face interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim at a later time and deductively analyzed into themes using the customer experience execution model.

RESULTS

Participants were aged 22-36 years and involved equal number of males and females (n = 6), with majority being Christians (n = 11). Six themes were generated from the study: (1) "Initial thoughts and emotions" described participants initial reactions to the virtual educational medium during the pandemic; (2) "Expectations with the virtual medium" referred to the participants' anticipations regarding the convenience offered by the virtual medium; (3) "Experiences with the virtual medium" depicted the participants' recognition of both positive and negative encounters while using the virtual learning platform; (4) "Evaluation and recommendation" described participants' reports of meeting expectations and recommendations they made to enhance virtual learning; (5) "Challenges and limitations of the virtual medium" typically represented the obstacles encountered by nursing/ midwifery students when they embraced the virtual medium; (6) "Prospects of the virtual medium" referred to participants' views on the future of the virtual medium.

CONCLUSION

The study has brought to light that the virtual education environment comes with its own expectations, experiences and challenges to students. Provision of adequate support such as orientation and simulation laboratories by higher education institutions to satisfy students' needs is necessary to enhance nursing education.

Effectiveness and learning experience from undergraduate nursing students in surgical nursing skills course: a quasi- experimental study about blended learning

BACKGROUND

Blended learning is increasingly being adopted, and yet a gap remains in the related literature pertaining to its skill performance, learning engagement and inner experience in undergraduate surgical nursing skills course.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the changes in skills performance and learning engagement in the application of blended learning, and what it actually brings to nursing students.

DESIGN

The study uses a historical control, two-armed, mixed and quasi-experimental design.

METHODS

The blended learning version of the course was offered to the 2019 class of 334 nursing undergraduates. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected after the course to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the course effects compared with the 304 nursing undergraduates of grade 2017 who adapted traditional learning. Quantitative data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics using IBM SPSS 26.0, and qualitative data were encoded using Nvivo11.0.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in skill performance and learning engagement between the class of 2017 and 2019 (p < 0.001). Combined with further analysis of the interview data, 3 first-level nodes and 8 secondary nodes were determined. Students' opinions, comments and suggestions on the application of blended learning are refreshing.

CONCLUSION

Moving forward with blended learning: opportunities and challenges go hand in hand. Researchers need to continually modify their research designs to respond to variable educational environments.

The Effect of Video Call with Family Members on Physiological Parameters of Critically Ill Patients in Intensive Care Unit: A Quasi-experimental Study

Aim and background

There are not enough studies on the direct effect of virtual patient visits on patients' vital signs in intensive care. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of video calls made between conscious patients and their families on the patient's vital signs and to determine the level of satisfaction.

Materials and methods

The research was carried out quasi-experimentally. Study data were collected from 135 patients and their relatives. The data were collected from the vital signs monitoring form and the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Satisfaction with the video call was measured with a score scale between 0 and 5. Video calls were conducted by an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse every day between 13:00 and 15:00 for 5 days. Physiological parameters were measured 30 minutes before, during, and 30 minutes after the video calls.

Results

The mean patient pulse rate (PR) value was 92.04 ± 12.87, respiratory rate (RR) value was 22.89 ± 3.63, and GCS total score was 14.01 ± 0.12 during the call. There was a statistically significant difference between these values measured during the video calls and the values measured before and after the interview (p < 0.00). The mean score of patient satisfaction with the video call was 4.80 ± 0.44; for relatives, the mean score was 4.87 ± 0.33.

Conclusion

This study revealed that video calls with family members affected PR, RR, and GCS of patients hospitalized in ICU.

Clinical significance

Video calls can be implemented in all ICUs where visits are restricted. This practice is well recognized by both families and patients.

How to cite this article

Uysal N, Vaizoğlu D. The Effect of Video Call with Family Members on Physiological Parameters of Critically Ill Patients in Intensive Care Unit: A Quasi-experimental Study. Indian J Crit Care Med 2023;27(10):732-736.

Effect of a blended learning design in an undergraduate nursing electrocardiogram course: A quasi-experimental study

AIM

The study aimed to explore learning achievement and students' satisfaction with a blended learning (BL) electrocardiogram (ECG) education programme in undergraduate nursing education.

DESIGN

This was a quasi-experimental post-test design.

METHODS

The study was conducted during semester one of the academic year 2020/2021. Participants were divided into two groups: the BL group and face-to-face (FTF) group. The BL group received the newly designed BL programme. The FTF group received the traditional learning methods. Post-test measures of the study variables such as knowledge, study time and satisfaction were conducted. Chi-square (χ² ) test was used to evaluate categorical variables. The Mann-Whitney test was used to analyse continuous variables.

RESULTS

Participants in BL group had significantly higher scores in ECG interpretation and total score. No significant differences in foundational knowledge between the two groups were found. Study time was significantly longer in the BL group. Regarding satisfaction, significant differences were found in structure rationality and promotion of self-learning.

Mobile technology acceptance among undergraduate nursing students instructed by blended learning at selected educational institutions in South India

BACKGROUND

Mobile phones have become a widely accepted learning mode due to the impact of COVID-19. This study explores the mobile technology acceptance, among nursing students at selected educational institutions in South India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Quantitative cross-sectional descriptive design. First-year 176 B.Sc. nursing students who underwent blended learning were selected by the purposive sampling method. The tool "Technology Acceptance Model" was used to collect responses. Bivariate analysis was used to determine the relationship between the demographic and study-related variables with the mobile technology acceptance using SPSS version 25.0.

RESULTS

The majority 73.9% of the students belonged to the age group of 18-19 years, females 76.7% and, 98.9% were unmarried. Among the constructs of TAM, a mean (SD) value of 22.08 (2.26) was found for material (mobile device audio/video) characteristics the mean (SD) value was 22.08 (2.26), attitude about use 17.58 (1.95), behavioral intention 17.46 (1.78) and system characteristics 17.21 (2.27). The mobile technology acceptance revealed that 126 (71.6%) strongly agreed, 49 (27.8%) agreed, and 1 (0.6%) was neutral with a mean (SD) of 105.19 (8.68), respectively. A positive correlation was found between the system characteristics, material characteristics, perceived ease to use, perceived usefulness, attitude about the use, behavioral intention with a P value <0.001. There was a statistically significant association between Mobile technology acceptance and time spent by the students for independent studies shown the Chi-square value of 12.7, with P value <0.05.

CONCLUSION

Nursing students had a positive acceptance and behavior toward smartphone use.

Ters Yüz Sınıf Modelinin Hemşirelik Öğrencilerinin Yaşamsal Belirti Becerileri Üzerindeki Öğrenme Etkileri: Yarı Deneysel Bir Çalışma

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, ters yüz sınıf sınıf öğrenme modeli ile verilen eğitimin hemşirelik psikomotor, bilişsel ve becerilerine etkisini değerlendirmektir.Yöntem: Çalışmada yarı deneysel deney (n=40) ve kontrol gruplu (n=40), ön son test ölçümleri olan bir bir tasarım kullanıldı. Deney grubu yaşamsal bulgular modülünde teorik ve pratik öğretimde ters yüz eğitim modeli ile eğitim alırken, kontrol grubunda sadece geleneksel öğretim modeli ile eğitim aldılar. Öğrenci performanslarını değerlendirmek için bir bilgi testi ve beceri kontrol listesi kullanıldı.Bulgular: Post-test bilgi sınavı ve beceri sınavlarında en yüksek puanları ters yüz sınıf eğitimi alan öğrenciler aldı (sırasıyla X̄ =62.15±16.55; X̄ =45.25±14.77). Ayrıca gruplar arası psikomotor beceri sınavı post-test toplam puanları incelendiğinde, deney grubunun kontrol grubuna göre daha yüksek puanlar aldığı bulundu (sırasıyla X̄=38.92±0.85, X̄=30.79±1.41).Sonuç: Ters yüz sınıf modelinin hemşirelik eğitiminde kullanılmasının hem teorik bilgileri hem de psikomotor beceri kazanımını olumlu yönde etkilediği bulundu.

Nursing students' perceptions on motivation strategies to enhance academic achievement through blended learning: A qualitative study

Students who are motivated to learn novel knowledge and skills are needed to provide high-quality nursing services. Student nurses increasingly lose motivation as their program progresses due to various factors, especially in light of the recent academic situation with online education. As a result, the purpose of this study is to elucidate ways for improving academic motivation among Saudi nursing people who enrolled in blended learning. This study used a qualitative exploratory study design based on the phenomenological exploration, with 20 nursing students from a prominent Saudi institution. The qualitative analysis of the verbatim conveyed by the student nurses has yielded in the emergence of two main themes; “Extrinsic Motivation” and “Intrinsic Motivation”. Under the first theme the following subthemes emerged; “University support through policy”, “Instructor skills and communication”, “Curricular organization”, “Quality clinical experiences”, and “Conducive blended environment”, while under “Intrinsic Motivation”, the thematic analysis resulted in, “Coping with blended environment” and “Control over learning process”. Educators, students, academic staff, and clinical training are all identified as areas where academic motivation can be improved. In principle, boosting educational quality and instilling a good attitude among nursing students boost academic motivation.

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One of the most difficult challenges confronting today's instructors is motivation.

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The employment of BL in the nursing curriculum has expanded dramatically in current years.

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Students and nurses require immediate motivation in order to carry out health-related obligations in a new complex system.

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Saudi nursing students indicated the need for university and instructor academic support to increase motivation.

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Saudi nursing students expressed the importance of quality clinical education in enhancing motivation.

Flipped classroom and the use of role-play in the COVID-19 pandemic

Aim: In Brazil, COVID-19 remains one of the epicenters of the pandemic, thus, presential educational activities are suspended. The study aimed to describe the approach of flipped classroom performed to provide social distancing and to maintain teaching activities during COVID-19-pandemic. Methods: Flipped Classroom was chosen to be associated with the role-play technique as a central methodology. To bring students closer to activities performed in the non-pandemic period, some actions and assessments were also role-played by Professor simulating patients in virtual meetings. Results: Although the changes in the format of the lessons, our approaches stimulated the students maintained the high frequency of students in the activities (almost 100%) providing continuity activities. Conclusions: This report can reinforce that meaningful learning can be taught by using a virtual/remote approach. However, the potential positive results observed cannot be used as an excuse to maintain remote teaching activities with the objective of cost-cutting by the institutions.

Enhancement of Medical Students' Performance and Motivation in Pathophysiology Courses: Shifting From Traditional Instruction to Blended Learning

Blended learning is a learning approach that combines face-to-face classroom lectures and e-learning. It has grown rapidly to be commonly used in medical institutions, especially in the local medical universities where there is lack of qualified teachers and instructional materials. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are the latest revolution in e-learning and provides learners with access to quality educational resources. Nevertheless, there is seldom reports concerning how to effectively integrate MOOCs into blended learning in local universities, as well as the evaluation of knowledge outcomes. In order to achieve this aim, a blended learning approach was carried out in teaching pathophysiology in Guilin Medical University. This blended learning model was based on combination of Chinese University MOOC with case based learning (CBL), as an alternative to conventional learning. The medical students in the 2017 and 2018 classes received the blended learning method, while the medical students in the 2015 class received the traditional classroom instruction. The results showed that students in the 2017 and 2018 performed significantly better than students in the 2015 class at mid-term exam and the final exam. Perception surveys also revealed that both students and teachers had positive attitude toward blended learning, and they shared similar viewpoints of blended learning. A large proportion of students and teachers believed that the blended learning enhanced students' motivation to learn independently, improved their time management skills, and allowed them to experience personalized learning. Also, most students and teachers recognized that Chinese University MOOC provided substantial educational resources suitable for their need. In addition, teachers indicated that the blended learning improved student learning quality, facilitated interaction between teachers and students, and helped them to establish a student-centered model in teaching pathophysiology. Overall, the blended learning method that combines Chinese University MOOC with CBL is effective in enhancing students' achievement and motivation in pathophysiology than the traditional learning method, and helps to strengthen the cultivation of talent in local medical universities.

The effect of Flipped Classroom through Near Peer Education (FC through NPE) on patient safety knowledge retention in nursing and midwifery students: a solomon four-group design

INTRODUCTION

Selecting an appropriate teaching methodology is one of the key stages in education. This study is an attempt to delve into the effect of FC through NPE on patient safety knowledge retention in nursing and midwifery students.

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial, using the Solomon design, was conducted in 2019 on 82 nursing and midwifery students enrolled from Bushehr nursing and midwifery school. The Subjects were then allocated to four groups via block randomization. The Subjects in both intervention groups studied the educational content online for 2 weeks and subsequently attended the FC through NPE. Both control groups merely received education based on conventional method. The post-test was once administered to the four study groups immediately after completing the program and once again 2 months after it.

RESULTS

The posttest mean scores of knowledge retention in both intervention groups remained the same (P = 0.1), while they were higher in the control groups (P < 0.05). The changes in the mean scores of the post-test in the intervention and follow-up groups did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference between the four study groups (P = 0.130, F = 1.941).

CONCLUSION

The use of the FC through NPE increased the knowledge mean scores; however, it failed to affect knowledge retention. Given the infancy of this pedagogical approach, further studies are needed to investigate its effects on various learning outcomes.

Team-Based Learning Among Health Care Professionals: A Systematic Review

Introduced in the 1970s to meet the academic needs of a growing number of students with relatively stagnant faculty, team-based learning (TBL) has revolutionized the modern classroom structure. Contrary to the traditional didactic model where the teacher assumes the central role and students are passive listeners, TBL participants are actively involved in the learning process. Teachers act as facilitators while the TBL participants work in groups to solve problems through engagement with their peers. The objective of the article is to conduct a systematic review on team-based learning using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline.

The studies were searched in databases like PubMed®, Scopus®, Embase®, and PubMed Central® using appropriate keywords. Two authors screened the papers, and a third author resolved the conflicts. This was followed by a bibliographic review based on the references of the selected study and bias assessment using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool.

The team-based learning model is increasingly being used by different institutions globally. TBL and traditional lecture-based teaching outcomes revealed that TBL participants performed better in academic, clinical, and communication domains. In addition, TBL enhanced learners' engagement, collaborative spirit, and satisfaction. Our study results are similar to the prior meta-analysis and systematic review. Nevertheless, this systematic review remains more comprehensive, up-to-date, and inclusive thus far.

Team-based learning is a pragmatic and superior approach to learning among health care professionals. It has resulted in better academic, clinical, and communication outcomes. This finding spans all the medical and allied professions studied in this systematic review.

Ensino híbrido na formação em saúde: uma revisão sistemática

Introdução: A partir da necessidade de reestruturação das instituições de ensino em saúde devido à pandemia da COVID-19, o ensino híbrido vem se destacando como possibilidade de reorganização das atividades educativas. O objetivo deste estudo foi escrever o desenvolvimento do ensino híbrido na formação de profissionais da área da saúde. Materiais e Métodos: Revisão sistemática da literatura, baseada nas recomendações da Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em pares, entre julho a setembro de 2020, em quatro bases de dados eletrônicas. Os descritores foram os termos “Educação a Distância”, “Educação Superior”, “Aprendizagem”, “Saúde”, “Enfermagem”, “Medicina”, “Odontologia” e “Fisioterapia” e “Ensino híbrido”. Os artigos foram classificados conforme seu Nível de Evidência. Resultados: 49 artigos foram selecionados, entre estudos quantitativos, qualitativos e de método misto. Foram encontradas experiências do desenvolvimento do ensino híbrido nos diferentes cursos de formação na área da saúde. Observou-se aplicação do ensino híbrido segundo o modelo de Rotação, modelo à la carte e o modelo Flex. Discussão: o ensino híbrido vem ganhando destaque cada vez maior no cenário da educação acadêmica em saúde. Foi visto que, a partir dele, o aluno destaca-se em sua aprendizagem, pois é o principal gerenciador deste processo, aprendendo ativamente por diversos instrumentos educativos a partir da condução do professor. Conclusões: O êxito do ensino híbrido pode estar relacionado ao seu caráter inovador, flexível, com boa relação custo-benefício e capaz de tornar os alunos protagonistas do seu processo de ensino-aprendizagem, influenciando no desempenho acadêmico dos alunos.

Enhancing the odds of adopting e-learning or community-focused experiential learning as a teaching practice amongst university faculty

Identifying the optimal approach for motivating faculty to adopt teaching innovation is important, given that broad-scale initiatives can utilize an inordinate amount of time and resources. Using a quantitative approach, we evaluate policy actions that are most strongly associated with the adoption of either e-learning or community-focused experiential learning, over a five-year period in a single institution. Comparisons between adopters and non-adopters affirm the relevance of previously documented facilitators and barriers. However, a logistic regression analysis demonstrates that actions that promote a supportive institutional culture (such as, an institutional plan, committee involvement, professional development and logistical support) as well as faculty perceptions and beliefs (i.e., “using new methods is not risky for student learning”; confidence and self-efficacy with respect to implementation), is strongly associated with the adoption of either e-learning (n = 118) or community-focused experiential learning (n = 97). In contrast, funding and professional dimensions (i.e., workload, historical precedence, and the institutional promotion of the innovation with respect to academic freedom) is weakly associated with adoption. The results not only provide a fine-grained analysis of current assumptions regarding the necessary conditions for implementing organizational change in the university context, but also suggest an approach that reinforces and sustains the adoption of teaching innovation over the long term. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in reference to models of organizational change, faculty motivation and approaches to institutionalizing teaching innovation.

Implementation of Blended Learning Approach for Improving Anatomy Lectures of Phase I MBBS Students - Learner Satisfaction Survey

PURPOSE

The application of blended learning approach improves student engagement, active learning and achievement of higher order analytical thinking. Despite that there is still no clear proof that use of computer assisted learning is better than traditional teaching in human anatomy. In this study, a model of collaborative learning strategy is applied, using both online and face-to-face instruction delivery, for the Phase I medical students. The study aimed to innovate a model of blended learning in delivery of gross anatomy lectures and determine the effectiveness of this strategy in comparison to traditional classroom teaching by student's perception analysis.

METHODS

Students were provided with PowerPoint lectures, clinical video of patient cases, and lecture summary handouts before the interactive face-to-face lecture session. Learner satisfaction survey was done to validate the student's perception.

RESULTS

The students' participation in the survey was 90.4%, with the mean of students' responses on the survey scale was 4.10 ± 0.94 (standard deviation). Highest agreement was 83.1% on the effectiveness of online resources. Students gave minimum agreement of 54.9% about the time allotted for the online materials. Thematic analysis of the perception of student feedback provided with many positive outcomes for this approach.

CONCLUSION

We propose that blended learning is a process that helps in enhancing student involvement and participation, motivation for self-directed learning and promotes deeper learning of educational outcomes.