Perceived Use Behavior of Social Networking Sites Among the Healthcare Students in India.

Introduction: The use of social networking sites (SNSs) is growing among higher education students, including healthcare students. Nonetheless, limited research has examined the perceived use behavior among healthcare students in developing countries such as India. Objective: This study attempts to assess the use behavior of SNSs by undergraduate students in the fields of nursing and pharmacy in India through the lens of Connectivism and New Social Learning theories. Method: The study used a Google form to collect data through an online questionnaire. A sample of 483 participants included 258 Bachelor of Science in Nursing students, 161 General Nursing and Midwifery students, and 64 Bachelor of Pharmacy students from various Indian nursing and pharmacy schools. Results: The majority of the respondents prefer to use SNSs for several purposes such as watching academic videos on YouTube, sharing their ideas, thoughts, and current development in their respective fields through WhatsApp, getting job-related information from different Facebook pages, etc. A substantial number of nursing students believed that these SNSs help them build relationships with professionals across the country. At the same time, many students also indicated that extensive use of SNSs might cause sleep difficulties, data privacy concerns, and a lack of focus while studying. Conclusion: To have an impact on how SNSs are used in healthcare education, more attention should be paid to build connectivism between educators and their students on social learning environment, which the findings of this study's suggestions could be put into practice.

Learning and teaching sustainable business in the digital era: a connectivism theory approach.

Higher education institutions may adopt various approaches to the pedagogic principles and methods used in teaching sustainable development in business and marketing courses. These methods can include the utilisation of digital technologies and online communication to facilitate distance learning and fast access to relevant information. Changes towards the digitalisation of the learning environment especially gained popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the post-pandemic period, digitalisation continues to facilitate the learning and teaching processes. However, the implementation of digital technologies, besides technological expertise, requires appropriate theoretical frameworks for understanding how learning is developed. This study explores connectivism theory applied to the pedagogic practices of knowledge dissemination concerning sustainable development in the fields of business and marketing. Connectivism embraces knowledge as a network where the learner, with the help of digital technologies, develops mental connections between pieces of information during interaction with various information sources. This qualitative research empirically explores the principles of connectivism embedded in the learning and teaching of a university course conducted online. The research findings indicate that connectivism may be a suitable conceptual framework that motivates learners to develop knowledge through digital enablers, discussions and social networking and to make connections to sustainability concepts. The principles of connectivism may help instructors to develop a learning environment where learners add understandings to their previous knowledge on sustainability through online interactions and by accessing digital knowledge sources. This study makes several interdisciplinary contributions by deepening the insights into digital pedagogic methods and approaches for the facilitation of learning, which may be of interest to academic and other pedagogic practitioners.

Generation Learning Differences in Surgery: Why They Exist, Implication, and Future Directions.

The evolution of the knowledge economy and technology industry have fundamentally changed the learning environments occupied by contemporary surgical trainees and created pressures that will force the surgical community to consider. Although some learning differences are intrinsic to the generations themselves, these differences are primarily a function of the environments in which surgeons of different generations trained. Acknowledgment of the principles of connectivism and thoughtful integration of artificial intelligence and computerized decision support tools must play a central role in charting the future course of surgical education.

Facebook as an integrated online learning support application during the COVID19 pandemic: Thai university students' experiences and perspectives.

While a number of studies in the literature have explored the potentials of using Facebook in classroom teaching, there is a scarcity of studies that investigate its use as an online learning support application, especially when classes have to be moved to online and remote teaching due to health emergencies like the COVID19 pandemic. This article explores the use of a closed-class Facebook group (FBG) as a learning support application from the perspectives and experiences of 33 university English language students in Thailand. A self-report survey questionnaire and a semi-structured individual interview were conducted to get the data for the study. Drawing on the concept of connectivism, findings revealed that although students faced some issues like internet connectivity, lesson concentration difficulty, and lack of support from the family, they still held positive perceptions in moving to online class on Facebook during the pandemic. They believed that Facebook provided them with an easy way to connect with their classmates, who can support them in their remote language learning. Thus, Facebook is not only perceived as a social network by the students, but also as a learning platform where they can easily retrieve academic sources and share them with their classmates for intellectual discussion. This article argues that given the right online pedagogical strategy, Facebook can be used as an alternative to an established learning management system, especially when a university does not have one.

El aprendizaje y las nuevas tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones / Learning and the new information and communication technologies

Las nuevas tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones insertan cambios progresivos en el sistema de enseñanza actual, porque la influencia de la innovación tecnológica propicia nuevas formas de concebir el aprendizaje. Por ello, las concepciones, los procesos y los paradigmas de la actividad docente-educativa han migrado del modelo tradicional al tecnopedagógico de manera paulatina. De este modo, se planteó como objetivo exponer los aspectos relacionados con el aprendizaje, las distintas teorías que lo sustentan y los elementos más significativos que giran en torno a las redes de aprendizaje y aprendizaje en red. El estudio empleó la contrastación de métodos teóricos como el histórico-lógico, y la sistematización teórica para la recolección de información, la construcción, el desarrollo y la conformación final del producto. Los resultados se enfocaron en actualizar los conocimientos teóricos del aprendizaje y las nuevas tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones, para incentivar a la comunidad de investigadores a que profundizaran sobre el tema. Las nuevas tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones le imprimen al aprendizaje un carácter más autónomo, e incrementan, a su vez, su carácter social, debido al constante desarrollo de la web, las redes sociales, los ambientes virtuales de aprendizaje y las comunidades en internet. A su vez, el conectivismo ha permitido establecer nuevas formas de concebir la educación, al articular de manera adecuada lo tecnológico con lo pedagógico, mediante un proceso de formación continua del docente en temas de tecnología aplicada a la educación(AU)

The new information and communication technologies add progressive changes in the current teaching system, as long as the influence of technological innovation fosters new ways of conceiving learning. For this reason, conceptions, processes and paradigms of the teaching-educational activity have gradually migrated from the traditional to the techno-pedagogical model. Based on this, the objective was to expose the aspects related to learning, the different theories that support it and the most significant elements related to learning and learning networks. The study used the contrast between theoretical methods, such as the historical-logical, as well as theoretical systematization for gathering information, construction, the development and the final structuring of the product. The results were focused on updating the theoretical knowledge of learning and the new information and communication technologies, in order to encourage the research community to deepen on the subject. The new information and communication technologies give learning a more autonomous character, and increase, in turn, its social character, due to the continuous development in the Web, in social networks and in virtual learning environments and communities in the Internet. In turn, connectivism has made it possible to establish new ways of conceiving education, by adequately articulating the technological with the pedagogical, through a process of continuous training for the professor regarding issues of technology applied to education(AU)

Design, Implementation and Evaluation of a Distance Learning Framework to Expedite Medical Education during COVID-19 pandemic: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced medical schools to suspend on-campus live-sessions and shift to distance-learning (DL). This precipitous shift presented medical educators with a challenge, 'to create a "simulacrum" of the learning environment that students experience in classroom, in DL'. This requires the design of an adaptable and versatile DL-framework bearing in mind the theoretical underpinnings associated with DL. Additionally, effectiveness of such a DL-framework in content-delivery followed by its evaluation at the user-level, and in cognitive development needs to be pursued such that medical educators can be convinced to effectively adopt the framework in a competency-based medical programme. Main: In this study, we define a DL-framework that provides a 'simulacrum' of classroom experience. The framework's blueprint was designed amalgamating principles of: Garrison's community inquiry, Siemens' connectivism and Harasim's online-collaborative-learning; and improved using Anderson's DL-model. Effectiveness of the DL-framework in course delivery was demonstrated using the exemplar of fundamentals in epidemiology and biostatistics (FEB) course during COVID-19 lockdown. Virtual live-sessions integrated in the framework employed a blended-approach informed by instructional-design strategies of Gagne and Peyton. The efficiency of the framework was evaluated using first 2 levels of Kirkpatrick's framework. Of 60 students, 51 (85%) responded to the survey assessing perception towards DL (Kirkpatrick's Level 1). The survey-items, validated using exploratory factor analysis, were classified into 4-categories: computer expertise; DL-flexibility; DL-usefulness; and DL-satisfaction. The overall perception for the 4 categories, highlighted respondents' overall satisfaction with the framework. Scores for specific survey-items attested that the framework promoted collaborative-learning and student-autonomy. For, Kirkpatrick's Level 2 that is, cognitive-development, performance in FEB's summative-assessment of students experiencing DL was compared with students taught using traditional methods. Similar, mean-scores for both groups indicated that shift to DL didn't have an adverse effect on students' learning. Conclusion: In conclusion, we present here the design, implementation and evaluation of a DL-framework, which is an efficient pedagogical approach, pertinent for medical schools to adopt (elaborated using Bourdieu's Theory of Practice) to address students' learning trajectories during unprecedented times such as that during the COVID-19 pandemia.

Online interprofessional simulation for undergraduate health professional students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This report describes the Obstetric and Neonatal Simulation (ONE-Sim) workshop run in a remote learning format for medical and midwifery students in an interprofessional setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores the observation of students as participants in the online learning of using Personal Protective Equipment and simulation-based learning of perinatal emergency management. This was followed by their mutual interaction and reflections. This paper aims to understand the role of synchronous remote learning through simulation and its impact on interprofessional interactions. We describe the experience of medical and midwifery students with the ONE-Sim workshop, facilitated by medical (obstetric and neonatal) and midwifery educators. Formal thematic analysis will be performed as part of the ongoing study; however, initial direct observation demonstrated that students reacted positively to the online ONE-Sim workshop and engaged well with facilitators and peers. Students mutually interacted amongst themselves, shared their previous experiences, knowledge of roles as medical and midwifery practitioners and how they see themselves in those roles in a perinatal emergency setting. The initial observations demonstrate that interprofessional education delivered in an e-learning format can be useful and meaningful, and may be utilized across a number of specialties.

Connectivism and leadership: harnessing a learning theory for the digital age to redefine leadership in the twenty-first century.

This manuscript provides a literature review of connectivism. It presents evidence and thinking in which connectivism, a new learning theory which has typically been used for online learning, is applied to leadership, with a provocative discussion on the yet unexplored opportunities to use connectivism to redefine leadership in the twenty-first century. The paper aims to bridge the gap between the contributions of digital learning in education and the field of leadership theory and development. It seeks to apply the critical tenants of connectivism in education and learning to leadership theory and to stimulate a debate on new forms of leadership.

Adaptive learning objects in the context of eco-connectivist communities using learning analytics.

Eco-connectivist communities are groups of individuals with similar characteristics, which emerge in a connectivist learning process within a knowledge ecology. ARMAGAeco-c is a reflexive and autonomic middleware for the management and optimization of eco-connectivist knowledge ecologies using description, prediction and prescription models. Adaptive Learning Objects are autonomic components that seek to personalize Learning Objects according to certain contextual information, such as learning styles of the learner's, technological restrictions, among other aspects. MALO is a system that allows the management of Adaptive Learning Objects. One of the main challenges of the connectivist learning process is the adaptation of the educational context to the student needs. One of them is the learning objects. For this reason, this work has two objectives, specifying a data analytics task to determine the learning style of a student in an eco-connectivist community and, adapting instances of Adaptive Learning Objects using the learning styles of the students in the communities. We use graph theory to identify the referential member of each eco-connectivist community, and a learning paradigm detection algorithm to identify the set of activities, strategies, and tools that Adaptive Learning Objects instances should have, according to the learning style of the referential member. To test our approach, a case study is presented, which demonstrates the validity of our approach.

European Reference networks for rare diseases: what is the conceptual framework?

With the Cross-Border Healthcare Directive (2011/24/EU) a mandatory framework was established to foster cooperation on a voluntary basis, within European Reference Networks (ERNs). These networks are composed of centres and healthcare providers. The exchange of knowledge is a central issue in this context. A detailed literature survey was carried out to determine the most important factors affecting information and knowledge exchange, as well as learning, in networks and how this can be supported. New communication technologies are identified as key tools for the European Reference Networks (ERN). This study recommends the elaboration of a systematic knowledge use and knowledge generation plan. The data of this study suggests that the future ERNs will mediate the adoption of the digitised and networked information society in medical practice.

Desarrollo de competencias informacionales en universidades hispanoamericanas: fundamentos teóricos para un modelo integral de evaluación

El presente documento expone los resultados de una investigación enfocada en la búsqueda de teorías que den sustento a lo que deberá ser un modelo para evaluar la participación institucional en el desarrollo de las competencias informacionales del estudiantado. La investigación se basa principalmente en revisión de la literatura y en las reflexiones que las lecturas inspiraron. Los resultados llevan a las personas autoras a concluir que un modelo de evaluación puede enmarcarse en la Teoría General de Sistemas en cuanto a la transformación que se espera lograr en estudiantes durante su paso por la universidad, pero que para lograr una visión más completa se requiere identificar una teoría del aprendizaje; se encuentra que la que puede brindar mayores explicaciones es la recientemente desarrollada Teoría del Conectivismo, como una forma de expansión de las teorías constructivistas del aprendizaje.

This document presents the results of a study focused on the search for theories to support what should be an evaluation model of university efforts aimed to develop student's information competencies. The research is mainly based on literature review and on the reflections that the readings inspired. The results lead the authors to conclude that an evaluation model can be framed in the General Systems Theory as to the transformation to be achieved by students during their pass by the university; nevertheless, for a more complete picture, it is necessary to identify a learning theory: we observe that one that may provide further explanations is the recently developed theory of Connectivism, as a way of expanding constructivist theories of learning.

Big Data in Science and Healthcare: A Review of Recent Literature and Perspectives. Contribution of the IMIA Social Media Working Group.

OBJECTIVES: As technology continues to evolve and rise in various industries, such as healthcare, science, education, and gaming, a sophisticated concept known as Big Data is surfacing. The concept of analytics aims to understand data. We set out to portray and discuss perspectives of the evolving use of Big Data in science and healthcare and, to examine some of the opportunities and challenges. METHODS: A literature review was conducted to highlight the implications associated with the use of Big Data in scientific research and healthcare innovations, both on a large and small scale. RESULTS: Scientists and health-care providers may learn from one another when it comes to understanding the value of Big Data and analytics. Small data, derived by patients and consumers, also requires analytics to become actionable. Connectivism provides a framework for the use of Big Data and analytics in the areas of science and healthcare. This theory assists individuals to recognize and synthesize how human connections are driving the increase in data. Despite the volume and velocity of Big Data, it is truly about technology connecting humans and assisting them to construct knowledge in new ways. Concluding Thoughts: The concept of Big Data and associated analytics are to be taken seriously when approaching the use of vast volumes of both structured and unstructured data in science and health-care. Future exploration of issues surrounding data privacy, confidentiality, and education are needed. A greater focus on data from social media, the quantified self-movement, and the application of analytics to "small data" would also be useful.