Christoph Pimmer1, Petra Brysiewicz2, Sebastian Linxen1, Fiona Walters3, Jennifer Chipps4, Urs Gröhbiel1. 1. learning.lab/Institute for Information Systems, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Peter Merian-Strasse 86, 4002 Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: http://www.fhnw.ch. 2. School of Nursing and Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Desmond Clarence Building, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban 4000, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Electronic address: brysiewiczp@ukzn.ac.za. 3. School of Nursing and Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Desmond Clarence Building, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban 4000, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Electronic address: walters@ukzn.ac.za. 4. School of Nursing and Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Desmond Clarence Building, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban 4000, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Electronic address: chippsj@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: With the proliferation of portable digital technology, mobile learning is becoming increasingly popular in nursing education and practice. Most of the research in this field has been concentrated on small-scale projects in high income countries. Very little is known about the ways in which nurses and midwives use mobile technology in remote and resource poor areas in informal learning contexts in low and middle income countries. OBJECTIVES: To address this gap, this study investigates whether nurses use mobile phones as effective educational tools in marginalized and remote areas, and if so, how and why. SETTING AND METHODS: In rural South Africa, 16 nurses who attended an advanced midwifery education program, facilitators and clinical managers were interviewed about their use of digital mobile technology for learning. Techniques of qualitative content analysis were used to examine the data. RESULTS: Several rich "organically-grown", learning practices were identified: mobile phone usage facilitated (1) authentic problem solving; (2) reflective practice; (3) emotional support and belongingness; (4) the realization of unpredictable teaching situations; and (5) life-long learning. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that mobile phones, and the convergence of mobile phones and social media, in particular, change learning environments. In addition, these tools are suitable to connect learners and learning distributed in marginalized areas. Finally, a few suggestions are made about how these insights from informal settings can inform the development of more systematic mobile learning formats.
BACKGROUND: With the proliferation of portable digital technology, mobile learning is becoming increasingly popular in nursing education and practice. Most of the research in this field has been concentrated on small-scale projects in high income countries. Very little is known about the ways in which nurses and midwives use mobile technology in remote and resource poor areas in informal learning contexts in low and middle income countries. OBJECTIVES: To address this gap, this study investigates whether nurses use mobile phones as effective educational tools in marginalized and remote areas, and if so, how and why. SETTING AND METHODS: In rural South Africa, 16 nurses who attended an advanced midwifery education program, facilitators and clinical managers were interviewed about their use of digital mobile technology for learning. Techniques of qualitative content analysis were used to examine the data. RESULTS: Several rich "organically-grown", learning practices were identified: mobile phone usage facilitated (1) authentic problem solving; (2) reflective practice; (3) emotional support and belongingness; (4) the realization of unpredictable teaching situations; and (5) life-long learning. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that mobile phones, and the convergence of mobile phones and social media, in particular, change learning environments. In addition, these tools are suitable to connect learners and learning distributed in marginalized areas. Finally, a few suggestions are made about how these insights from informal settings can inform the development of more systematic mobile learning formats.
Authors: Priya Lall; Rebecca Rees; Gloria Chun Yi Law; Gerard Dunleavy; Živa Cotič; Josip Car Journal: J Med Internet Res Date: 2019-02-28 Impact factor: 5.428
Authors: Mary Amoakoh-Coleman; Alexander Berend-Jan Borgstein; Stephanie Fv Sondaal; Diederick E Grobbee; Andrea Solnes Miltenburg; Mirjam Verwijs; Evelyn K Ansah; Joyce L Browne; Kerstin Klipstein-Grobusch Journal: J Med Internet Res Date: 2016-08-19 Impact factor: 5.428
Authors: Jennifer Chipps; Christoph Pimmer; Petra Brysiewicz; Fiona Walters; Sebastian Linxen; Thandi Ndebele; Urs Gröhbiel Journal: Curationis Date: 2015-12-14