Mayer (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011) discusses the
benefits of multimedia learning theory by stating that humans learn through
multiple channels, such as audio and visual channels, and multimedia learning
resources cognitively engage learners by stimulating audio and visual pathways
to produce meaningful learning. This blog will briefly review two multimedia
internet-based resources applicable to nursing education; Second Life and Free Nurse
Tutor.
Second Life (SL) is a 3D environment in which learners
create avatars to participate in games and simulations. Skiba (2009) describes
SL as a virtual world in which experiential learning takes place. Students can
play, interact and collaborate with other participants to learn and apply new
knowledge. Two current SL games for nursing education are HealthInfo Island and Second Health
Hospital. HealthInfo Island
players can learn about health and wellness issues, diseases, surgical
procedures, drug effects and interactions, support services, and new research. Second Health
Hospital allows
participants to train as professionals while patients learn about healthcare facilities and procedures.
The main concerns
related to incorporating SL games in online learning are 1) the required
technological support to run the games, 2) the learning curve for faculty in
developing games, and 3) learning curve for students playing the games. Skiba
(2009) reports that high-end computers with sophisticated graphic capabilities
are required to build and use the system; therefore, technical support for
faculty and students is essential. Purchasing the required hardware to support
SL and create games may be a barrier for financially strapped organizations. A
significant time commitment is required for faculty to create and maintain the
SL learning experience.
Free Nurse Tutor is a free, open-source website, offering
games to engage nursing students through interactive computer based learning
activities. The site has multiple games on a wide range of topics. I focused on
the Cardiac
System site, which included eight different interactive games to help
nursing students learn about cardiac anatomy, disorders such as heart failure,
diagnostic tools like EKGs, and medications such as nitroglycerin. The site
also includes a number of videos and an educator's
corner. Most of the videos are from Youtube. Educators can register to
create a personal account to customize learning activities.
The abundance of material on the site would be overwhelming
for learners. This might lead to unproductive time as students navigate through
the various different body systems and games. Educators would need to select
which interactive strategies to incorporate for student learning and ensure
each activity related to a learning objective and/or course outcome (Conrad
& Donaldson, 2011).
Reference:
Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2011). Engaging the online
learner: Activities and
resources for creative
instruction (Updated ed.). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Laureate Education, Inc.
(Executive Producer). (2011). Multimedia learning theory. Baltimore,
MD: Author
Skiba, D. J. (2009). A second look
at second life. Emerging technology center. Nursing Education Perspectives,
30(2), 129-131.
Linda, I like Free Nurse Tutor. This site would be beneficial for any healthcare student. I especially like the educator's corner. It provides a variety of information that can be used in the classroom to enhance material already covered. I also like that you can search by body system. That makes it simple to find the information you need. The games are interactive and calls on the students cognitive skills. This site is great for practicing knowledge of medical terms. Thank you for the information.
ReplyDeleteLinda, you discussed Second Life (SL) as a good multimedia resource for online learning. I explored SL in our last class as it related to teaching English as a Second Language. I found SL fascinating and definitely a motivating tool for enhanced learning. The SL environment I explored was called the Caddy Shack and was located on the main Lingnan University Island in Hong Kong. SL learning environments create online communities, provide quality and enhanced learning experiences for students, and collaborative environments (Riedl, Bronack, & Tashner, 2005; Janmon, Traphagan, & Mayrath, 2008; Squire & Jenkins, 2004; Bruckman, 1997; Erlandson, Nelson, Wilhelmina, 2010; as cited in Wang, Lefaiver, Wang, & Hunt, 2011, p. 28). SLs also promote enriched interactions socially, information access, technology integration, and collaborative learning (Dillenbourg, Schneider, & Synteta, 2002; as cited in Wang, Lefaiver, Wang, & Hunt, 2011, p. 28). “The application of [SL] to support synchronous communication and social intervention lends itself to increased student motivation to learn through this medium” (Barab, Thomas, Dodge, Carteaux, & Tuzun, 2005; Delucia, Francese, Passero, & Tortora, 2009; as cited in Wang, Lefaiver, Wang, & Hunt, 2011, p. 28). Boettcher & Conrad (2010) referred to SL as a “powerful learning chunker” (p. 33). When learning is chuncked, it becomes more efficient. “Chunking is just one reason games and role-playing scenarios are popular and valuable” (p. 33). Thanks for an interesting post.
ReplyDeleteReferences
Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Wang, C. X., Lefaiver, M., Wang, Q, & Hunt, C. (2011, October). Teaching in an EFL program in Second Life: Student teachers’ perspectives and implications. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange, 4(1), 27-40.