Development of Artificial Intelligence-Teaching Assistant System for Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Field-Testing Study.

Keeping students engaged and motivated during online or class discussion may be challenging. Artificial intelligence has potential to facilitate active learning by enhancing student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes. The purpose of this study was to develop, test usability of, and explore undergraduate nursing students' perceptions toward the Artificial Intelligence-Teaching Assistant System. The system was developed based on three main components: machine tutor intelligence, a graphical user interface, and a communication connector. They were included in the system to support contextual machine tutoring. A field-testing study design, a mixed-method approach, was utilized with questionnaires and focus group interview. Twenty-one undergraduate nursing students participated in this study, and they interacted with the system for 2 hours following the required activity checklist. The students completed the validated usability questionnaires and then participated in the focus group interview. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data, and thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data from the focus group interviews. The results showed that the Artificial Intelligence-Teaching Assistant System was user-friendly. Four main themes emerged, namely, functionality, feasibility, artificial unintelligence, and suggested learning modality. However, Artificial Intelligence-Teaching Assistant System functions, user interface, and content can be improved before full implementation.

Utilizing educational technology in enhancing undergraduate nursing students' engagement and motivation: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Modern educational technology (Edtech) combines technological tools with educational theories. Over the years, Edtech has been adopted in nursing education to address student needs and expectations, institutional resources, community stakeholder expectations, and healthcare trends. However, regardless of the technologies used, keeping students engaged in learning is still challenging. As intrinsic motivation is significantly related to academic achievement, ensuring student engagement and motivation for learning becomes crucial. AIMS: This scoping review aims to explore the types and features of modern Edtech that have impacted on undergraduate nursing students' engagement and motivation. DESIGN: This scoping review is based on the five-stage approach following Arksey and O'Malley's framework, and the Engagement theory framework for technology-based teaching and learning. METHODS: A systemic search was conducted across 10 electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ProQuest, Web of Science, Cochrane, Engineering Village, and IEEE Explore). The titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened and reviewed based on the inclusion criteria of undergraduate nursing students, using innovative Edtech, and outcomes of engagement and motivation. Studies published in non-peer reviewed journals, or not in English were excluded. Study characteristics were summarized and quantified. Descriptions of educational technology characteristics from selected studies were coded and categorized as follows: "Facilitating collaboration", "Stimulating problem-solving", and "Pursuing authentic focus". RESULTS: Majority of the studies utilised gamification over other types of Edtech such as virtual reality or smart glasses, successfully engaging and motivating students through the features of collaboration, competition, and challenge. Despite the high technology aspect of the interventions used, the human presence as an authentic focus was perceived to be important in engaging students in learning experience. Moreover, attaining meaningful achievements also improves engagement and motivation. CONCLUSIONS: Edtech can promote positive engagement and motivation of undergraduate nursing students. Educators should emphasize an authentic focus in students' learning experience with Edtech.

Effect of a mHealth programme on coronary heart disease prevention among working population in Singapore: A single group pretest-post-test design.

AIM: The aim of this study was to develop and examine the effectiveness of a 4-week Mobile Health (mHealth) programme using the smartphone app Care4Heart on awareness, knowledge, perceived stress, and a heart-related lifestyle among working population in Singapore. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental single group pretest and repeated post-test design. METHODS: A total of 160 nonhealth-related working adults were recruited from February 2016-April 2016. The Care4Heart app was installed on the participants' phones. Outcome measures, including the Heart Disease Fact Questionnaire-2, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and the Perceived Stress Scale were collected online at baseline, 4th week, and 6th month from baseline. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, the participants had significantly higher total mean scores for awareness and knowledge of coronary heart disease (CHD) after study intervention at 4 weeks and 6 months from baseline. However, there were no significant differences in perceived stress levels and heart-related lifestyle behaviours before and after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The study contributed some evidence that the mHealth app helped to improve awareness and knowledge of CHD. IMPACT: Coronary heart disease remains one of the major causes of death and disability. It imposes a heavy financial burden on working adults. However, working adults were less able to identify the risk factors and adopt healthy lifestyles due to gaps in knowledge and awareness. This study demonstrated some effects of a mHealth programme in improving awareness and knowledge of CHD among the working population. mHealth provides a potential avenue for primary prevention of CHD.

The effect of a smartphone-based coronary heart disease prevention (SBCHDP) programme on awareness and knowledge of CHD, stress, and cardiac-related lifestyle behaviours among the working population in Singapore: a pilot randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most prevalent type of cardiac disease among adults worldwide, including those in Singapore. Most of its risk factors, such as smoking, physical inactivity and high blood pressure, are preventable. mHealth has improved in the last decade, showing promising results in chronic disease prevention and health promotion worldwide. Our aim was to develop and examine the effect of a 4-week Smartphone-Based Coronary Heart Disease Prevention (SBCHDP) programme in improving awareness and knowledge of CHD, perceived stress as well as cardiac-related lifestyle behaviours in the working population of Singapore. METHODS: The smartphone app "Care4Heart" was developed as the main component of the programme. App content was reviewed and validated by a panel of experts, including two cardiologists and two experienced cardiology-trained nurses. A pilot randomised controlled trial was conducted. Eighty working people were recruited and randomised to either the intervention group (n = 40) or the control group (n = 40). The intervention group underwent a 4-week SBCHDP programme, whereas the control group were offered health promotion websites only. The participants' CHD knowledge, perceived stress and behavioural risk factors were measured at baseline and on the 4th week using the Heart Disease Fact Questionnaire-2, Perceived Stress Scale, and Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System. RESULTS: After the SBCHDP programme, participants in the intervention group had a better awareness of CHD being the second leading cause of death in Singapore (X 2 = 6.486, p = 0.039), a better overall CHD knowledge level (t = 3.171, p = 0.002), and better behaviour concerning blood cholesterol control (X 2 = 4.54, p = 0.033) than participants in the control group. CONCLUSION: This pilot study partially confirmed the positive effects of the SBCHDP programme in improving awareness and knowledge of CHD among the working population. Due to the small sample size and short follow-up period, this study was underpowered to detect significant differences between groups. A full-scale longitudinal study is required in the future to confirm the effectiveness of the SBCHDP programme.

Improving awareness, knowledge and heart-related lifestyle of coronary heart disease among working population through a mHealth programme: study protocol.

AIM: To develop a mHealth programme, entitled 'Care4Heart' for the working population in Singapore and thereafter examine its feasibility and effectiveness in increasing the awareness and knowledge of coronary heart disease and improving their heart-related lifestyle. BACKGROUND: Teaching and encouraging the working population to adopt a healthier lifestyle could result in preventing and/or decreasing the incidence of coronary heart disease among this population. The use of mobile application (app) is the next logical wave of healthcare support tools to prevent and manage chronic diseases like coronary heart disease. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental longitudinal study design. METHODS: The study will be conducted in a tertiary university in Singapore. A non-probability, quota sampling of 200 participants will be recruited including 100 academic and research staff, 50 administrative staff and 50 support staff and business owners. Once consent is obtained, the newly developed mobile app will be installed onto the participants' smartphones and a well-trained research assistant will brief the participant on the use of the app. The main outcomes will be measured using the survey questionnaires: Awareness of coronary heart disease, Heart Disease Fact Questionnaire-2, Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System and Perceived Stress Scale. Data will be collected at baseline and at the 4th week and 6th month thereafter. DISCUSSION: If this project is successful, Care4Heart - a mHealth and novel prevention educational programme for the working population in Singapore - can be used to promote knowledge and positive heart-related lifestyle changes to prevent coronary heart disease.