Educational Technology is taking over the nursing world. Bradshaw and Lowenstein (2011)believe it is growing by leaps and bounds, and I would have to agree whole heartedly. I, for one, would never have thought that I would be doing a Master's Program on line,especially at my age of 56, I grew up in a whole different world of nursing. We had no computers to chart on, no electronic beds or even digital thermometers. The clinical areas I worked on were known as "wards" and rooms had 4 patients in one room with only a curtain dividing them. School was an apprentice approach to learning with a little theory thrown in. Nursing education was primarily done in a hospital based program. Today, nursing education can be taught on line. Who would have thought? And here I am, not only doing it online, also teaching my students with computers and mobile phones, using e-mails, texting and facebook. Oh, and I must not forget my newest addition of blogging. So I guess where I am going with this is, what happened to the good old classroom learning where I can see my classmates faces, talk to them and watch their expressions, enjoy my instructors presentation, and actually feel like I am in class?
My children grew up with technology. They text to each other instead of talking, they blog, they facebook and they are comfortable with the latest technological gadgets. Yet I see a decline in accountability, communication skills and lack of respect as a result of technology. Yes, they can learn from whereever they are, and do the learning all on line. Yes, they can get all resources they need without having to step foot in a library, and pick up a book. Communication skills are as brief as the texting and many have a new language because of it. As an older nurse (am I really?) have I missed something that technology was meant to do? Bradshaw & Lowenstein (2011) also believe that technology is great as to assist learning but it does not replace the instructor in the educational role. Lol. So I as I become a big part of the aging nurse educator population, and become immersed in the technology of simulation and pyxis, electronic charting and texting, I often wonder quite frequently, is it really progress or have we really regressed in life?
Bradshaw, M.J. & Lowenstein, A. J. (2011). Educational use of technology. Innovative Teaching Strategies in Nursing and Related Health Professions. Sudbury, MA. Jones and Barlett Publishers,
This post brought back so much memories and humored me so much. The wards were so huge, they had cubicles with four beds. Only ambulatory patients had access to television, the only one for the unit in the lounge. You had to have "real pain" to be medicated via the intravenous route. I still feel though that those patients expressed greater gratitude for the care they received. They were never rude or felt entitled.
ReplyDeleteI believe the increase in technology does show progress in some areas, but it can be distressing to realize how our children shy away from face to face communication.