[Educational chat in nursing: possibilities of interaction in the virtual environment]. / Chat educacional em enfermagem: possibilidades de interação no meio virtual.

This documental case study was performed using a qualitative approach, and analyzed the dialogues of Nursing students in a context mediated by an educational chat in a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). The data consisted of eight discussions among students, professors and monitors of the Rio Grande do Sul Federal University College of Nursing on the TelEduc® VLE chat on the activity called Virtual Client. The data were categorized using NVivo® software; and the information was analyzed using the Content Analysis technique. The results revealed feelings such as anxiety, fear and motivation towards hospital practice, as well as the dichotomous position of students regarding the proposed activity: some enjoyed the virtual discussions, while others preferred having discussions in person. This article presents recommendations for using educational chats in Nursing education.

Autonomy in nursing students process of knowledge construction: the educational chat as a teaching tool.

This documental study has the qualitative approach of a case study. It analyzes how autonomy has been developed in nursing students process of knowledge construction, in a context mediated by the use of educational chat in Learning Management Systems (LMS). The analyzed materials were eight discussions promoted by students, professors, and monitors in the chat session of TelEduc LMS. The software NVivo was used to categorize data and Content Analysis for the analysis of information. Data analysis used Freire as a reference point, revealing that nursing students need to develop their autonomy by acknowledging their incompleteness. Professors can aid this process by problematizing and developing critical dialogical relations. The potential of the educational chat as a pedagogical tool is highlighted because it encourages students to autonomously seek knowledge.

[Digital educational materials in nursing: assessment by professors from an undergraduate course]. / Objetos educacionais digitais em enfermagem: avaliação por docentes de um curso de graduação.

This study addresses the use of digital learning materials in the format of hypertext, educational games and simulations about oxygen therapy with professors of an Undergraduate Nursing Course. It is a cross-sectional exploratory study that was carried out at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in 2006 with 10 intentionally selected professors. Data collection was performed by means of a questionnaire, using a Likert scale to assess the suitability of the content, visual presentation and use of learning materials. Descriptive statistics was used to organize and process the data. Results showed that the professors approved of the presentation of educational materials, they agreed with the suitability of the contents presented and with using the materials with the content regarding oxygen therapy. There was no significant relation between the professors' opinion and their age group, nor with their computer technology knowledge, their time in teaching and the addressed contents.

[Learning vein puncture using digital educational material in a Nursing Undergraduate Course]. / Aprendizagem de punção venosa com objeto educacional digital no Curso de Graduação em Enfermagem.

This exploratory descriptive study aimed at assessing the performance of undergraduate students in the fourth year of the Nursing course to carry out a vein puncture technique with the support of three digital educational materials--hypertext, educational games, and simulations. The sample consisted of 37 students, who had studied the digital material in an IT laboratory and had carried out the procedure of peripheral vein puncture in training laboratory. Ten stages considered essential for the accomplishment of the procedure were observed, and an assessment form of the educational materials was analyzed. Thirty three (89.19%) subjects had never done vein puncture, and 27 (72.97%) correctly performed five or more stages of the procedure. As to visualizing and saving the educational materials in the computer, 12 (32.44%) and 15 (40.54%) students, respectively, said to have had some kind of difficulty. According to 91.90% of the students, the material aided their learning process, which demonstrates this learning tool can be explored and more frequently used.

Development and use of digital educative objects in nursing teaching.

This paper describes a development project of digital learning objects in nursing, and the evaluation of their use by teachers and undergraduate nursing students. The strategies for their development were composed of the following stages: conceptual modeling, development of instructional materials, implementation in a virtual learning environment, and evaluation. This is an ongoing study and preliminary results demonstrate that teachers and students evaluated the design and the content of the nursing digital learning objects satisfactorily, but demonstrate difficulties in using them. The results point to the impact of innovation through the consolidation of the use of educational technologies integrated to the teaching of nursing, as well as a support program for teachers.