Learning through Reflection. SPROUT: A Schema to Teach Reflective Practice

Incorporating reflection into practice is an essential acquired skill and has been linked to the strengthening of professional identity, where the ability to reflect is essentially the development of self-awareness; a way of thinking and ultimately learning from experience. The authors introduce the acronym SPROUT as a structure for higher education students who are learning to be reflective learners. The acronym represents a schema for written and oral approaches and is designed to support professional development in multiple contexts. SPROUT is formed by combining the initial letters of the component words and serves to simplify the complexity of a multipart process to be enacted when being reflective. As a mnemonic device SPROUT represents Situation, Past experience, Read and Refer, Other influences, Understanding and Take it Forward. Following the implementation of SPROUT with a 1st year Bachelor of Nursing cohort, reflective scripts were reviewed for content and quality. Additionally educators provided feedback. Preliminary conclusions about the efficacy of this approach for learning to be reflective suggest that students were demonstrating a developing self-awareness. Keywords: reflection, higher education, mnemonic, experiential learning, self awarenes

Learning through reflection. SPROUT : a schema to teach reflective practice

Incorporating reflection into practice is an essential acquired skill and has been linked to the strengthening of professional identity, where the ability to reflect is essentially the development of self-awareness; a way of thinking and ultimately learning from experience. The authors introduce the acronym SPROUT as a structure for higher education students who are learning to be reflective learners. The acronym represents a schema for written and oral approaches and is designed to support professional development in multiple contexts. SPROUT is formed by combining the initial letters of the component words and serves to simplify the complexity of a multipart process to be enacted when being reflective. As a mnemonic device SPROUT represents Situation, Past experience, Read and Refer, Other influences, Understanding and Take it Forward. Following the implementation of SPROUT with a 1st year Bachelor of Nursing cohort, reflective scripts were reviewed for content and quality. Additionally educators provided feedback. Preliminary conclusions about the efficacy of this approach for learning to be reflective suggest that students were demonstrating a developing self-awareness

A systematic review of the experience of using second life in the education of undergraduate nurses

The virtual world of Second Life® is an emerging technology that is being considered as a simulation methodology for the education of professionals. Particularly for nursing, the adoption of simulation, although a response to technological advancement, is occurring during changes in population health care needs, the resultant impact on the workforce, and also the changing profile of students. This systematic review aimed to establish the current applications of Second Life in the education of undergraduate nursing students. Databases searched were CINAHL®, Medline®, Education Research Complete™, ERIC™, Computers and Applied Sciences Complete™, and Library, Information Sciences and Technology™. Fourteen studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Evidence identified included the themes of transferability from theory to practice, focus on learner centeredness, and evaluative processes. This review demonstrates that positive learning outcomes are achievable in Second Life. Evaluative research is in an early stage, and further investigation is warranted. [J Nurs Educ. 2015;54(10):572–577.

Flexible delivery: on-line versus bottom-line

The article presents a study regarding the use of flexible delivery of learning approach to nursing education. The study contends that colleges and universities should consider the advantages and disadvantages of this learning approach to learners since educational changes are happening due to globalisation. The study concludes that flexible delivery for nursing education could be used but with a level of caution

Enhancing Nursing Simulation Education: A Case for Extended Reality Innovation

This concept paper explores the use of extended reality (XR) technology in nursing education, with a focus on three case studies developed at one regional university in Australia. Tertiary education institutions that deliver nursing curricula are facing challenges around the provision of simulated learning experiences that prepare students for the demands of real-world professional practice. To overcome these barriers, XR technology, which includes augmented, mixed, and virtual reality (AR, MR, VR), offers a diverse media platform for the creation of immersive, hands-on learning experiences, situated within virtual environments that can reflect some of the dynamic aspects of real-world healthcare environments. This document analysis explores the use of XR technology in nursing education, through the narrative and discussion of three applied-use cases. The collaboration and co-design between nursing educators and XR technology experts allows for the creation of synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences beyond traditional nursing simulation media, better preparing students for the demands of real-world professional practice

Vision - A space for digital learning and exploring pedagogies: Virtual world education

The Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group (VWWG) was established in 2009. Members of the group have written papers for ASCILITE conferences since 2010. Each paper’s intention is to provide an overview on using virtual worlds in higher education, especially the practical aspects of incorporating 3D worlds to enhance student learning. This VWWG’s paper looks at a virtual world as a space for digital learning and exploratory pedagogy – meaning, that the authors perhaps do not perceive virtual worlds as ordinary. However, they do acknowledge that those who do not regularly engage in virtual worlds may see it as new and innovative, perhaps even untested ground, but still with a degree of unfamiliarity. A survey was sent to the members of the VWWG in which the narratives have provided rich data for in depth understanding. The themes focused in the survey were ‘disruptive thinking’, ‘emerging ideas’ and ‘lateral connections’, from the perspective of the respondents’ experiences in the implementation of virtual worlds in education. They discuss the idea of a virtual world used in education as a new treasure, or perhaps it has been in use for some time and now classified as traditional

Me, Us and IT: Insiders\u27 views of the complex technical, organisational and personal elements in using virtual worlds in education

The adoption and pedagogical use of technologies such as virtual worlds to support teaching and learning, and research in higher education involves a complex interplay of technical, organisational and personal factors. In this paper, eighteen educators and researchers provide an overview of how they perceive a virtual world can be used in education from the perspective of themselves as individuals \u27me\u27, their educational organisations and as members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group (VWWG) community of practice \u27us\u27, as well as the complex technology that underpins this learning environment \u27IT\u27. Drawing on Linstone\u27s (1981, 1984) Technical, Organisational and Personal (TOP) multiple perspective concept as the framework for analysis, the authors discuss their perspectives of how the personal, organisational and technical aspects of teaching through the use of virtual worlds have impacted on their teaching and research in higher education. The potential of employing the TOP framework to inform future research into the use of technologies such as virtual worlds in teaching and learning is explored

Australian nursing and midwifery student beliefs and attitudes about domestic violence: a multi-site, cross-sectional study

Nurses and midwives have a professional responsibility to identify and provide effective care to those experiencing domestic violence. Pre-registration preparation may develop this capability. In order to inform curriculum development, this study explored Australian nursing and midwifery students’ attitudes and beliefs about domestic violence. Data were collected between June and October 2017. Descriptive statistics were calculated and comparative analysis performed on independent variables. Thematic analysis was performed on open-ended qualitative responses. Participants included 1076 students from nine Australian universities. The majority were enrolled in nursing programs (88.4%), followed by midwifery (8.6%), and combined nursing/midwifery (2.4%) programs. There was no statistically significant difference in scores by year level across all subscales, suggesting there was no developmental change in beliefs and attitudes toward domestic violence over the course of study. Nursing students held views that were more violence-tolerant than midwifery students. Australian and Chineseborn males were more likely to refute that domestic violence is more common against women. Students had a limited understanding of domestic violence suggesting a critical need to address undergraduate nursing and midwifery curricula

A cross-sectional study of domestic violence instruction in nursing and midwifery programs: out of step with community and student expectations

Background: Domestic violence is a global health concern. Nurses and midwives must respond to those who experience domestic violence, although many are not prepared to do this. The World Health Organization recommend that domestic violence content be included in all pre-registration training as a matter of urgency. Objectives: To examine self-reported undergraduate student perceptions of domestic violence content in their programs of study and student attitudes and beliefs about domestic violence. Design: A cross-sectional research design with online survey was employed from June to October 2017. Methods: Using convenience sampling, 1076 students were recruited to the study from a total population sample of just over 6000 undergraduate nursing and midwifery students; a response rate of 17.9%. Survey data reported the nature and frequency of teaching and learning along with student attitudes and beliefs about domestic violence. Open ended responses were examined via thematic analysis. Settings: Nine Australian universities offering undergraduate nursing and midwifery degrees. Participants: Undergraduate university nursing and midwifery students. Results: Over half of students surveyed (53.7%, n = 578) reported that domestic violence was not addressed in their program of study. A direct correlation was found between students' perceived preparedness to assess and respond to domestic violence, and the amount of taught content in their program of study. Conclusion: This major gap in curricula has significant implications for professional practice preparedness. Further research should focus on examining the reasons why quality domestic violence content is lacking in undergraduate nursing and midwifery programs and how prioritisation of domestic violence content can be improved

Australian health professions student use of social media

Increased bandwidth, broadband network availability and improved functionality have enhanced the accessibility and attractiveness of social media. The use of the Internet by higher education students has markedly increased. Social media are already used widely across the health sector but little is currently known of the use of social media by health profession students in Australia. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to explore health profession students' use of social media and their media preferences for sourcing information. An electronic survey was made available to health profession students at ten participating universities across most Australian states and territories. Respondents were 637 first year students and 451 final year students. The results for first and final year health profession students indicate that online media is the preferred source of information with only 20% of students nominating traditional peer-reviewed journals as a preferred information source. In addition, the results indicate that Facebook® usage was high among all students while use of other types of social media such as Twitter® remains comparatively low.\ud \ud As health profession students engage regularly with social media, and this use is likely to grow rather than diminish, educational institutions are challenged to consider the use of social media as a validated platform for learning and teaching