Experiences of nursing students preparedness to migrate to online learning during COVID-19 lockdown in Namibia

Background: COVID-19 made it mandatory for Namibian education institutions to transition from traditional face-to-face classroom learning to online learning. Minimal time was available to prepare nursing students to adopt this model of learning, which subsequently influenced their learning experiences. Aim: The aim of the study was to explore and describe nursing students' experiences regarding their preparedness to migrate to online learning during the COVID-19 lockdown at a public university in Namibia. Setting: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in English at the public university in Kavango East, Namibia. Methods: A qualitative approach utilising an exploratory and descriptive design was used. Convenience sampling and a semi-structured interview guide was used to assess the experiences of undergraduate nursing students. Data saturation was achieved after 15 interviews. ATLAS.ti 8 software assisted with management of data that was analysed inductively following the six steps of thematic analysis. Results: The following themes emerged from analysis of the data: (1) students' readiness to migrate to online learning; (2) challenges faced by nursing students during the migration to online learning; and (3) strategies to support the transition from face-to-face to online learning. Conclusion: The study's findings show that the student nurses were unprepared for online learning due to lack of skills and the ability to use technology to navigate online learning platforms. Access to online learning was also hampered by poor Internet connectivity and unreliable electronic devices. Contribution: These findings may be used to develop targeted interventions and strategies to mitigate challenges faced during transition from face-to-face to online learning.

Introduction of SDL in Department of Anatomy: Evaluation of Learning and SDL Readiness

Background: Self-directed learning (SDL) is a process in which individuals assume the responsibility of identifying their learning needs, setting goals, locating sources, developing and implementing proper strategies, and evaluating the outcomes of learning both individually and collectively. The advantages of SDL include, but not limited to, gaining more autonomy in learning, having higher motivation for it, acquiring lifelong learning skills, and developing greater self-control, self-confidence, and self-management. SDL has become popular in medical curricula and has been advocated as an effective learning strategy for medical students to develop competence in knowledge acquisition. Aim and Objectives: To introduce self directed learning in the Department of Anatomy, to encourage faculty members to accept SDL as a Teaching Learning method and encouraging students to develop an attitude of self directed learning & to become lifelong learners. Methodology: After proper sensitization of the faculty & students regarding SDL, two sessions were conducted during the Anatomy Dissection Hall timings of the First Year students. The performance of the students, in the SDL topics was assessed using the MCQ & SAQ tests. Feedback regarding the SDL methodology was taken both from the students as well as the faculty. Also the Questionnaires were given to students applying Fischer’s Self Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) & Jefferson Scale of Life Long learning –Health Profession Version (JeffSLL-HSP) & the results were statistically analyzed. Results: A total of 126 MBBS students of the first semester participated in SDL session and most students scored more than mean score in the tests after SDL sessions, there was a fourfold increase in the number of students scoring more than 80% in the two SDL tests. Also participating students showed high readiness towards SDL and were oriented to become Life Long Learners. Conclusions: SDL can be effectively implemented in the Department of Anatomy and it motivates students to become life long learners.

Application of micro class combined with modular teaching in experimental teaching of internal medicine and basic nursing / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Objective:To explore the effects of micro class combined with modular teaching on experimental teaching of internal medicine and basic nursing.Methods:Four classes of nursing students of Batch 2016 were selected as the research objects by drawing lots, and 148 nursing undergraduates were randomly divided into two groups. The combined teaching group adopted micro class combined with modular teaching, and the modular teaching group adopted modular teaching method. The examination scores, SDLRS (self-directed learning readiness scale for nursing education) scores, medical education environment and teaching satisfaction of the two groups were compared. SPSS 22.0 was conducted for chi-square test and t test. Results:The scores of internal medicine nursing, basic nursing and operation skills in the combined teaching group were significantly higher than those in the traditional teaching group ( P<0.05); at the end of the semester, the scores of self-management, love of learning, self-control and SDLRS total score of the combined teaching group were higher than those of the modular teaching group ( P<0.05); the scores of learning perception, teacher perception, environment perception and total score of the combined teaching group were higher than those of the modular teaching group ( P<0.05); the teaching satisfactions with improving learning interest, learning efficiency, learning initiative and mastering key contents better in the combined teaching group were higher than those in the modular teaching group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The combination of micro class and modular teaching can improve the examination results and self-directed learning readiness of nursing students, improve the internal environment of medical education, and students' teaching satisfaction is high.

The status quo of self-learning readiness for self-taught examination of in-service nurses and its correlation with general self-efficacy / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Objective:To explore the status quo of self-learning readiness of in-service nurses in self-taught examination and its correlation with general self-efficacy.Methods:Convenience sampling method was conducted with nurses who studied in the self-taught nursing examination of a university from a university in Sichuan Province from March to May 2020. General information questionnaire, Chinese version of Self-regulated Learning Readiness Scale for Nursing Education (SLDRS) and General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) were used to investigate the research. SPSS 24.0 was used to analyze the scores, multiple linear stepwise regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors, and Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between self-learning readiness and general self-efficacy. A total of 468 questionnaires were collected and 455 were valid.Results:The total scores of 455 nurses were (147.93±18.07) points, and the overall average scores were (3.70±0.45) points. Multiple linear stepwise regression analysis showed that the desire to continue to study for postgraduate students, the times of face-to-face classes in each subject, the preference for nursing major, aimlessness and satisfaction with the forms of assistance were the important influencing factors of autonomous learning readiness ( P<0.05). There is a positive correlation between self-learning readiness and general self-efficacy ( r=0.551, P<0.05). Conclusion:The self-learning readiness of nurses for self-taught examination is at a medium level. Their self-learning ability may be improved by encouraging them to carry out career planning, improving their professional identity and self-efficacy, and choosing teaching methods that are more suitable for in-service staff.

Embracing Online Learning: The Readiness and Perceived Challenges among Health Sciences Distance Learners

@#Introduction: The shifting of conventional to online learning is prominent in our millennial era. The online pedagogy is dynamic in creating knowledge and simultaneously engaging learners with experts beyond boundaries. Our study aims to determine the readiness of distance learners in embracing online learning and their perceived challenge in accomplishing their academic journey. Methods: We employed the quantitative study design with a cross-sectional survey and this study was conducted in a public university. The health sciences learners who are currently undertaking their distance learning program were recruited by convenience sampling (N=128). The Online Learning Readiness Scale (OLRS) was adopted with its internal consistency ranging from 0.77 to 0.95 for five dimensions of measure. Results: Our results indicate a high level of online learning readiness. In addition, the highest level of readiness in the dimension of computer/internet self-efficacy whereas the least level was the learners’ control. Sixty-eight percent of learners reported poor internet connectivity as the main challenge in online learning. Moreover, we found that gender, age, and the learners’ program were not the significant factors affecting learners’ online learning readiness (p>.05). Conclusion: Our study revealed a high extent of online learning readiness among distance learners that display constructive embracing of current educational technology. Nevertheless, considering the poor internet connection, communication infrastructure needs to be further developed to bridge the gap between millennial learners and the Internet of Things (IoT).

The validity of the self-directed learning readiness instrument with the academic achievement among the Saudi medical students

Background: Self-directed learning (SDL) is very crucial for continuous professional development for all health-care professionals. Objectives: This study aims to measure the SDL readiness of the first clinical year medical students and its relation with their academic achievement. In addition, to examine the reliability and validity of SDL rating scales. Materials and Methods: This is a quantitative cross-sectional study involving the 3rd year medical students at a Saudi medical school. The level of SDL readiness was measured by a validated Fisher’s scale which includes three subscales: Self-control (SC), self-management (SM), and desire for learning (DL), and student’s academic achievement by their grade point average (GPA). The data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire and were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Results: High SDL scores were found to have a positive relationship with students’ academic achievement. The overall mean score of Fisher’s scale was 156.73 ± 15.85. The mean score of SC was 61.2 ± 6.4 followed by the DL 48.4 ± 5.6 and SM skills 47.1 ± 6.6. Factor analysis revealed that all three-factor models and individual subscales have an average to poor fit. Conclusion: The study results showed that the high SDL readiness score is directly proportional to students’ academic achievement. The students were highly self-directed learners, but the study could not confirm that the current SDL model had a strong level of reliability and validity when tested with undergraduate level medical student’s achievement by the GPA. Although the study confirmed that our students are self-directed learners, their time management skills need to be improved.

Flipped-learning course design and evaluation through student self-assessment in a predental science class / 한국의학교육

PURPOSE: This study explores how to design a flipped classroom for a predental science course and evaluate its course through student self-assessment in order to provide practical implications for flipped learning in an undergraduate level. METHODS: Second- and third-year predental students in the Seoul National University School of Dentistry enrolled in Biodiversity and Global Environment, a 15-week, three-credit course based on a flipped learning model. At the end of the course, the students were asked to rate their self-directed learning, attitude toward social media, discussion skills, learning readiness, and class satisfaction. Out of the 82 predental students, 61 (74.3%) answered the survey. Pearson correlation and multivariate regression analyses were employed to examine the relationship between the self-rated measurements and the performance scores. RESULTS: The majority of the students felt somewhat more prepared than the medium level before the class (mean score of 3.17 out of 5.00), whereas they expressed relatively low preference concerning social media use and attitude (mean score of 2.49). Thus, it was found that learning readiness was significantly associated with both discussion skills and class satisfaction. In particular, multivariate regression analysis confirmed that learning readiness had a significant influence on learning outcomes. CONCLUSION: This study offered insights into how to design a flipped learning course in terms of predental students' preference and their learning readiness. Although learning success in a flipped classroom depends on the students' self-perceived level of preparedness, much still remains to be achieved in order to apply social media benefits in a flipped learning context.

The application of"flipped classroom" based on King's standard theory in internal medicine nurs-ing teaching / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Objective To investigate the effects of King's goal theory based flipped class teaching model on medical nursing teaching of upgraded full-time bachelors. Methods Upgraded full-time bachelors were divided into experimental and control group. The experimental group was intervened by King's goal theory based flipped class teaching model, while the control group adopted the traditional teaching model. A general condition questionnaire, SDLRS and CIRN were used to test the two groups. Results The scores of SDLRS and CIRN for experimental group were significantly higher than those of control group. Factors such as professional choice intention , group learning experience , self-directed learning experience and acceptance of teaching methods reform mainly affected self-directed learning readiness , while factors such as professional choice intention, character and self-directed learning experience mainly affected regis-tered nurses competency. Conclusions King's goal theory based flipped class teaching model helps to improve the self-directed learning readiness and registered nurses competency of upgraded full-time bachelors.

A Study on the Critical Thinking Disposition, Self-directed Learning Readiness and Professional Nursing Competency / 간호행정학회지

PURPOSE: A descriptive survey was used in this study to identify the relationship between nurses' critical thinking disposition, self-directed learning readiness and professional nursing competency and to examine factors that influence professional nursing competency. METHODS: The data were collected from 188 nurses and analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe' test, Pearson correlation, and stepwise multiple regression analysis with the SPSS/WIN 20.0 PC program. RESULTS: Professional nursing competency was found to have significant pure correlations with critical thinking disposition (r=.59, p<.001), and self-directed learning readiness (r=.54, p<.001). The most influential factor influencing nurses' professional nursing competency was critical thinking disposition, followed by self-directed learning readiness (beta=.25, p=.003), work department (beta=.19, p=.001), total clinical career (beta=.19, p=.003), and position (beta=.12, p=.040), and these factors explained 43.8% of the variance in professional nursing competency. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate the necessity of developing and applying strategies and educational programs to enhance individual nurse's critical thinking disposition and self-directed learning readiness. Furthermore, exploration is needed on ways to enhance professional nursing competency.

Habilidades lingüísticas en niños de estrato sociocultural bajo, al iniciar la primaria / Linguistic skills of children from a low socioeconomic level at the beginning of elementary education

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar las habilidades lingüísticas con que ingresan a la educación básica primaria alumnos de estrato socioeconómico bajo. Participaron 262 alumnos de primer grado, inscritos en ocho grupos de escuelas públicas del Estado de México, con una media de 5.7 años de edad. Se aplicó individualmente a cada alumno el Instrumento para Evaluar Habilidades Precurrentes para la Lectura (EPLE), de Vega (1991), al inicio del ciclo escolar 2004-2005. El análisis estadístico con el programa SPSS arrojó como resultado un puntaje promedio de 77 (DS=14), que corresponde al 57% de la calificación total del EPLE, lo que puede indicar que los alumnos ingresaron al primer grado de primaria con un nivel insatisfactorio de conductas lingüísticas. Se observan ligeras diferencias en las ejecuciones de los alumnos, a favor de quienes ingresaron con seis años de edad y con mayor número de años cursados en preescolar. Se discuten las implicaciones del bajo nivel lingüístico mostrado por los participantes y se proponen alternativas basadas en la investigación psicológica conductual.

The purpose of this study was to assess the linguistic skills of children from a low socioeconomic background who were beginning their elementary education. A total of 262 first-grade students with an average age of 5.7 years old and who were enrolled in 8 groups of public schools from Mexico State, participated in this project. The instrument used was the Precurrent Skills for Reading Assessment (PSRA) by Vega (1991), and was administered individually to each student at the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year. The statistical analysis using SPSS showed a mean score of 77 (SD=14), which corresponds to 57% of the total PSRA score. These results may indicate that first grade students have an unsatisfactory level of linguistic behaviour. Slight differences in the students’ performances were observed. A slightly better performance was shown by those first grade students who were 6 years old at the beginning of the school year and who had previously received pre-school education. The implications of the poor linguistic level shown by the participants are discussed, and some alternatives based on the behavioural research, are proposed.