Comparing the teaching-learning process with and without the use of computerized technological resources

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Health Informatics
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Computerized resources are vital for task-based learning in education.
• Nursing staff scheduling is a critical skill requiring effective teaching methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the learning outcomes of undergraduate nursing students in staff scheduling with and without a dedicated website.
• To evaluate the impact of computer technology on student motivation and knowledge acquisition in this area.

Main Methods:

• Development of a website focused on nursing staff scheduling.
• Comparison of a case group (using the website) and a control group (not using the website).
• Data collection from undergraduate nursing students at a public university in Brazil between 2003-2005.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in student motivation or knowledge acquisition between the groups.
• Student performance in nursing staff scheduling exercises was comparable across both the case and control groups.
• Students acknowledged the importance of staff scheduling for their professional development, with easy website access being a positive factor.

Conclusions:

• The integration of a specific website for nursing staff scheduling did not yield significant improvements in learning outcomes compared to traditional methods.
• Further investigation into optimizing digital resources for complex skill acquisition in nursing education is warranted.
• The perceived importance of the topic and ease of access to resources are key considerations for student engagement.