Well, it is the last week of my MSU course “Teaching for understanding with technology”, and as much as I am ready for the homework to cease… I am really going to miss this course. I have whole-heartedly enjoyed the students, instructors, and the content of the course this semester. The content of the course went beyond just reading and writing about a particular topic, the whole design of the course took me to a higher level of engagement and a newly found level of expectations for online learning… as both a student and a future educator.
Because of this course, I am able to understand that teaching with technology is necessary in the 21st century. It is needed for students and teachers alike at every educational level and profession. In this day and age, students need the integration of technology in the classroom to enhance their knowledge and make connections. Educators need to use technology not only to professional network for themselves, but for students to create a platform of learning that surrounds pedagogy and content that makes sense for learning outcomes. Together with this “total package”, integration of knowledge for student learning can occur.
As for the future for me, I am really going to examine how I can utilize the TPACK framework to enhance nursing student outcomes. I have learned a great deal from just being connected with Twitter and RSS feeds… I have seen nursing knowledge transfer in ways that I thought would be too “time consuming” for a graduate student, mother, and full time employee to keep up with. They are great venues to utilize to start my mind thinking about something I found interesting in a tweet, and the next thing I know I am doing a literature search in CINAL to see what else is written about the topic!
So what questions remain for me really lie around integrating what I have learned in this course to my future teaching practice in nursing, and then looking at what I can “repurpose” to enhance student learning. This will call for some experimentation on my part. Additionally, I would like to dive deeper into copyright and fair use rules to examine and be mindful when developing my future courses.
Thank you…
References:
Kereluik, K., Mishra, P. & Koehler, M.J. (2011). On learning to subvert signs: Literacy, technology and the TPACK framework. The California Reader, 44(2), 12-18.
My Network Learning Project over the course of the semester has involved some “sweet learning”. I say this of course with no pun intended… it has been a wonderful learning journey. I formulated my project idea at the started the semester surrounding a long time interest of mine. I have always desired to learn how to decorate a cake that has much more than just swirled frosting layers. I wanted to learn how to design and decorate a cake with the additions of fancy writing, borders, and flowers. As you can see from the prep-pictures and the video below, my assignment restricted my learning exploration to only YouTube and Internet Help Forums on this subject matter. To my surprise and as evidenced by the prep-pictures leading up to the video below, I feel that I have accomplished my learning goal successfully and have found real value in these on line technology teaching and learning tools.
Prep station…Frosting prep zone…Crumb cake layerMoving along…Let the decorating begin… Let’s get ready to see how it’s done…
So now having watched my video you might say, “How did she learn how to do that from just network learning resources”? I would have to respond that it was a fun and engaging way to obtain and demonstrate knowledge about a subject matter. Utilizing the YouTube videos enabled me to have a visual perspective on processes and products that I could have only imagined from reading multiple text resources. Additionally, the Internet Forums were tremendously helpful, too. I was able to look for people’s perspectives and suggestions on recipe information and tips for certain cake decorating phenomena. This resource had multiple layers of resources to sift through (e.g. blogs, recipes, photographs, tutorials), and it allowed me to ask questions to a large audience of cake decorators that were foreign to my “normal” professional learning network.
This learning opportunity has opened my eyes to technology resources for me for the future. Before this learning experience, most of my graduate learning experience has revolved around researching nursing and health information in such database resources as PubMed or CINAL within a library framework. Now this is not to say that the library is not a great resource as well, but now with this guided network learning experience I can build an even broader information learning network for me to grow in my future nurse educator role. In the future I envision connecting my nursing students and curriculum objectives to a “network” approach to support student learning exploration.
In the video below, you will see how a “simple” task, such as making a PBJ sandwich will be accomplished by utilizing some tools that have been “repurposed” for the event. This is a fun and innovative idea that reinforces the framework of TPACK… and a clever way to have your family help with your homework assignment!
*Notice the plug for the where the TPACK framework originated… Go Green, Go White!
References
Kereluik, K., Mishra, P. & Koehler, M.J. (2011). On learning to subvert signs: Literacy, technology and the TPACK framework. The California Reader, 44(2), 12-18.
Mishra, P. & Koehler, M.J.(2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054. Retrieved from http://punya.educ.msu.edu/2008/01/12/mishra-koehler-2006/
This week I have been very busy reviewing all of my You Tube videos and Internet Help Forum information in order to continue to advance my progress in achieving my cake decorating learning objective. With that important material, I moved forward with making and decorating a two –layered round chocolate cake. (Of course chocolate is the family flavor favorite!). As you can see from the multiple pictures in this blog, I have made some real progress in reaching my goal. But I still can improve on some venues… therefore this week I am going back to the internet You Tube video resources in order to obtain additional information on using particular cake decorating tip equipment. I found that the most challenging part of my cake decorating adventure was figuring out what frosting tip to use and how to hold the equipment correctly to get my desired results. Good thing there is wax paper to practice on before trying it on the cake… of course I got that tip from one of my You Tube videos!
Another challenge in my cake decorating endeavor was the time frame in which this project came together. Not only did I need to go to the grocery store, but make and cool the cake, prepare the buttercream frosting, make frequent trips to my freezer to “set the cake”, and then practice with the cake decorating tools in order to produce a product that was conducive to the results you see in the pictures. I have to admit I enjoyed the challenge, and my family appreciated the outcome as well.
Stayed tuned for another visually aesthetic cake soon! (At least I hope you think it looks that way…)
Colored frosting prep…Practice 1… Practice 2…Practice 3… Almost done… Final product … for first attempt!
My lesson plan involves a simulated medication administration with distractions using a virtual environment platform called Second Life. The simulation is designed for first semester nursing students in a fundamentals course… (the first med/surgical course in a baccalaureate nursing program).
Landing pad…Selecting professional attireLanding pad view… navigating in the virtual world.[Orientation modules… navigation, communication, interaction with objects and map of the island.
Design
The use of simulation in educating nursing professionals is an essential element in the learning process. Nursing students need to learn vital psychomotor skills, as well as develop clinical judgment and interpersonal communication skills for their practice (Aebersold & Tschannen, 2012). Hence, simulation is a tool for nursing educators to use in an attempt to resemble nursing realities that provide a wide range of experiences that are either rare or too risky for novice nurses to engage in with actual patients (Jefferies, 2007). Therefore, using a 21st century technology platform called Second Life can create a safe virtual environment for nursing students to play, and likewise create learning and practice connections (Thomas & Brown, 2011).
Subsequently, many healthcare sources such as the Institute of Medicine (IOM), Agency for Healthcare Quality and Healthcare Research (AHRQ), and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) suggest that medication errors remain a significant problem in healthcare today (Chang & Mark, 2009). As a result, nursing standards such as The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice, the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) Competencies for Prelicensure Nurses, and the college of nursing curriculums have aligned in developing standards for students to advance the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are critical to foster quality and safe patient care (QSEN, 2013; AACN, 2008). Therefore, a virtual simulation using the Second Life platform is proposed by the author to provide supplementary opportunities for nursing students to practice safe medication administration so as to avoid medication errors in the “real world” of patient care.
Create
Research indicates that the contributing factors for medication errors for nurses stems around distractions, interruptions, failure to follow standardized procedures, and lack of focus (Drach-Zahavy & Pud, 2010). For the simulated medication pass, a virtual environment using Second Life will provide an additional opportunity for first semester nursing students in a fundamentals nursing course to practice safe medication administration practices. The virtual simulation environment is designed to provide a real-world hospital environment in which a nursing student will interact with objects and people for the purpose of information gathering to enhance clinical decision making and interpersonal skill sets (Cook, 2012). The primary cognitive and psychomotor outcomes of the experience for the students involve the application of the six rights of medication administration, and the demonstration of the proper procedure for medication preparation and administration.
Inquire
In order to prepare for the simulation experience, the students need to review assigned readings, videos, and power point presentations in the online corresponding course chapter. Additionally, the students will be required to complete a pyxis medication tutorial exercise in the nursing skills lab and pass a medication competency test. Furthermore, for the Second Life experience the students must create a portal for authentic site usage by registering and creating an identity and account. This ensures that only authorized users enter the virtual site.
Play
Before the simulation begins in the Second Life environment, the students need to create a nurse avatar. Once in the virtual world, the students move through several competency regions in the orientation pad. They complete and review orientation information for appearance, navigation, communication, and interaction with objects. Additionally, the students would examine a map of the virtual world know as “Nursing Health Island”.
While in the virtual world, the students would participate in a synchronous learning activity that is a problem-based learning module. The case study unfolds as the nurse avatar plays the role of registered nurse (RN) in a hospital on a med/surgical unit, while the patient avatar is played by a school of nursing media technician. Also, the nursing assistant avatar is another nursing student colleague while the nursing faculty member is the observer throughout the simulation. The case scenario unfolds as the RN avatar encounters many obstacles, distractions, and situations that may lead to medication errors (*Refer to lesson plan document in blog). Hopefully, the RN avatar adheres to the fundamental principles of safe medication administration while developing clinical judgment and interpersonal skills throughout the simulation experience.
Evaluate
Concluding the virtual simulation experience a debriefing session would be conducted with the participants. “Debriefing sessions provide an opportunity for participants to reflect on their performance and the other simulation team members to gain insights to behaviors and errors that contributed to the outcomes of the situation” (Adebersold & Tschannen, 2012, p. 809). Consequently, the faculty would connect the experience to the “real world” clinical practice setting, and discuss evidence based strategies that can be incorporated into nursing practice that guide safe medication administration for patients. To finish the session, the students would complete a narrative questionnaire about their Second Life experience.
References
AACN (American Association of College of Nursing). (2008). The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice. Washington, DC.
Aebersold, M. & Tschannen, D. (2012). Virtual reality simulations: Teaching interpersonal and clinical judgments skills to healthcare practitioners. In Maria Manuela Curz-Cunha (Ed.), Handbook of research on serious games as educational, business and research tools (Vol 1) (pp. 800-817). Hershey, PA: Information Science.
Chang, Y. & Mark, B.A. (2009). Antecedents of severe and nonsevere medication errors. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 41(1), 70-78.
Cook, M.J. (2012). Design and initial evaluation of a virtual pediatric primary care clinic in Second Life. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, (24), 521-527.
De Freitas, S. & Oliver, M. (2006). How can exploratory learning with games and simulations within the curriculum be most effectively evaluated? Computers & Education, 46(3), 249-264.
Drach-Zahavy, A. & Pud, D. (2010). Learning mechanisms to limit medication administration errors. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 66(4), 794-805. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05294.x
IOM (Institute of Medicine). (2006). Preventing medication errors. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
Jefferies, P.R. (2007). Simulation in nursing education: From conceptualization to evaluation. New York, NY: National League for Nursing.
Pape, T.M. Guerra, D.M., Muzquiz, M., Bryant, J.B., Ingram, M., Schranner, B., Alcala, A., Sharp, J., Bishop, D., Carreno, E., & Welker, J. (2005). Innovative approaches to reducing nurses’ distractions during medication administration. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 36(3), 108-116.
Like most people “getting things done” (Allen, 2001), at work is a constant evolving task. In my employment setting there are constantly competing tasks, projects, and not to mention the endless email inbox. So how do I try to manage communications, the workload, and the productivity output? At the college, we use the tool Outlook for email communication. The tool has been really helpful, but until this week’s CEP 810 lesson I had no idea how much potential the program had to offer.
Therefore, this week I challenged myself to use the technology I have at hand to modify my behavior to collect, process, and plan work activities. Hence, I increased my awareness of the tool with utilization of the Atomic Learning tutorials. This site had a wealth of information about the Outlook tool for me, but in the end I enriched my usage of the task/to-do items, flags, and categories features. Utilizing these features, I am able to create a task list from my email inbox and arrange information according to deadline priorities and categories. These features have enhanced my organization already, and my ability to check things off easily.
Allen, D. (2001). Getting things done: The art of stress-free productivity. New York: Penguin.
This week I have explored more online YouTube and forum resources related to cake decorating. With the information from these videos and forums, I realized I needed to narrow my cake decorating topic focus. With that said, I would like to decorate a rectangular or double layered round cake with white frosting adding a colored border, writing, and a design with some flowers. Not only did I narrow my cake focus, but now I need to taper my frosting options. After reading the forum resources, I have decided to either use whipped or buttercream frosting. It seems that these two choices would be best for a “novice” decorator such as my self. The next task in this area is to find a recipe for either choice, and experiment with the products.
Additionally, this week I have learned about cake decorating equipment that is required for meeting my product goal, as well as some tips for using the equipment. Furthermore, the YouTube videos and forums have supplied my knowledge base with “tips” for successful cake decorating outcomes. For example, one video discussed the importance of refrigerating or freezing a cake after it is cooled from baking to enhance the ease of frosting and decorating. Obviously, a novice cake decorator such as myself maybe not have been aware of this information. I am impressed at how convenient, useful, and accessible the information on YouTube and internet forums can be for knowledge acquisition.
Before this week in CEP 810 I thought ongoing professional learning involved graduate education coursework, reading professional nursing journals and research articles, and of course attending nursing conferences. But this week I learned much more about connecting with other avenues to enhance my learning network. If I had to re-configure my Popplet now, I would have some additional “boxes” to add to it.
In all honesty, when I read the objectives for this week I was not very excited about becoming connected with Twitter and RSS feeds, but both venues have opened by eyes to some new avenues of information and connections. Formally, I thought both of these media tools were just platforms for an advanced level of Facebook (in which I don’t participate in currently)…. I had no idea what I was missing out on. I was excited to explore some RSS feeds (once I figured out how to add this to my blog and ANGEL home page) for nursing informatics and learn that I could follow AACN tweets. How cool! I owe a big thank you to my CEP 810 educators… thank you for taking me out of my “email comfort zone”!
For my Network Learning Project, I would love to learn how to decorate cakes. Not just an ordinary cake with frosting, but one that has fancy borders, writing, design, and possibly some frosting flowers. I have always wondered what bakery decorating secrets are lurking about the various internet sites. So now seems like a great opportunity to explore my curiosity. In addition, someday I will retire from my nursing career and I would love to do something creative and still make someone feel good… so why not with a nicely decorated cake!
Any thoughts or feedback about this idea would be appreciated… for starters I have found some YouTube videos below to help me out.
Teaching for understanding with technology 