Can Mobile Devices Be Used as an Active Learning Strategy? Student Perceptions of Mobile Device Use in a Nursing Course.

BACKGROUND: It can be challenging to engage prelicensure nursing students in theoretical, nonclinical courses. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe students' experiences with various teaching strategies and describe student perceptions of engagement and learning using a mobile device. METHODS: The study had a mixed-methods design, which included an online survey and oral interviews to elicit student perceptions of engagement and learning using a mobile device. RESULTS: Students, on average, reported high levels of perceived learning and moderate levels of perceived engagement. Analysis of the qualitative transcripts revealed 2 major themes clustered around learner practices and instructor/course practices. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, students reported that using the mobile devices was a positive experience. Students benefited from thoughtful, intentional mobile device use that engaged them with course ideas, limited off-task distractions, and improved collaborative experiences with peers and the instructor.

Assessment of public health core competencies in prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the use of the Public Health Foundation's (Public Health Foundation [PHF], ) Competency Assessment for Tier 1 Public Health Professionals to examine prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students' self-reported levels of competence in public health before and after completing community health nursing courses. DESIGN: Prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in community health nursing courses completed a pre and postcourse Competency Assessment for Tier 1 Public Health Professionals survey. The survey results were analyzed using nonparametric tests to determine whether there were significant differences in pre and postsurvey scores for the eight domains of public health core competencies, and for an overall competency score. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in the pre and postaggregate mean scores for each of the eight domains of public health core competency, and the overall mean public health competency score. Chi-square testing of pre and postcourse competency found significant difference in the proportion of students who met criteria for self-reported competence in each of the eight domains and overall public health competence. CONCLUSION: The Competency Assessment for Tier 1 Public Health Professionals can assist baccalaureate nursing faculty with assessing precourse learning needs, and postcourse evaluation of self-reported competence in public health.

Civic engagement and nursing education.

Significant declines in indicators of civic behavior identify Americans' decreased connectedness to each other, their communities, and participation in the process of government and solving problems together. Universities across the United States are working to revitalize college students' involvement in the processes of democracy. This move to increase students' engagement in their communities and nation has implications for nursing education and the profession. Nurse educators are advised to use experiential learning to teach skills of civic engagement, political advocacy, and policymaking and to be role models and mentors to foster the growth of nurse citizens in the profession.

Partnerships between nursing education and faith communities: benefits and challenges.

Partnerships between schools of nursing and faith communities can have positive outcomes for both groups. In this article, the authors describe the benefits and challenges experienced by faculty and senior nursing students during clinical experiences with parish nurses and faith communities during a 10-year period. Connecting students to parish nursing programs is one way to teach them about population-focused practice and help them see nursing as being wherever people live, work, play, and pray.