Preparing for Transition to Professional Practice: Creating a Simulated Blog and Reflective Journaling Activity

Nursing students' use of social media in their learning: a case study of a Canadian School of Nursing

Background

Social media has diverse applications for nursing education. Current literature focuses on how nursing faculty use social media in their courses and teaching; less is known about how and why nursing students use social media in support of their learning.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to explore how nursing students use social media in their learning formally and informally.

Methods

This exploratory qualitative case study of a Canadian School of Nursing reports on the findings of interviews (n = 9) with nursing students to explore how they use social media in their learning. Data were analyzed using a combined deductive and inductive coding approach, using three cycles of coding to facilitate category identification.

Results and conclusions

The findings demonstrate that participants use social media for formal and informal learning and specifically, as a third space to support their learning outside of formal institutional structures. Social media plays a role in the learning activities of nursing students studying both face-to-face and by distance. Accordingly, social media use has implications for learning theory and course design, particularly regarding creating space for student learning communities.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-022-00977-0.

A Qualitative Exploration of the Teaching- and Learning-Related Content Nursing Students Share to Social Media

Background: Social media have many applications in health professions education. The current literature focuses on how faculty members use social media to supplement their teaching; less is known about how the students themselves use social media to support their educational activities. In this study, this digital artifact collection qualitatively explored what educational content nursing students shared with their social media accounts. Methods: A total of 24 nursing students' Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts were followed over 5 months. A modified directed content analysis was conducted weekly and at the end of the data collection period, using two cycles of inductive and deductive coding. Results: This study demonstrated that nursing students used social media to combat isolation, to consolidate course content, to share resources, and to better anticipate the transition to practice as a new nurse. Conclusions: Faculty members can capitalize on social media platforms to help nursing students explore nursing roles and identities while learning about and enacting professional online behaviours.

Blogging for Evaluating Objectives in an International Nursing Course

Nursing educators need to adapt to meet students in new technological spaces and in the increasingly global environment. This article provides background on blogging as an educational tool and the use of a blogging assignment for evaluation of course objectives in an international graduate nursing course. The blog is a part of a study-abroad experience in Kenya, where graduate nursing students learn about Kenyan culture and work in the health care system.