Enhancing advanced pharmacy practice experiences through the use of Web 2.0 technologies

Web 2.0 technologies have been leveraged to enhance learning experiences. However, limited data exists about implementing Web 2.0 into pharmacy education and within experiential learning.

Two adult internal medicine advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) applied Web 2.0 technologies including Google (Alphabet, Inc.), Dropbox (Dropbox, Inc.), Facebook (Facebook, Inc.), WordPress (WordPress Foundation), and ClassDojo (ClassDojo, Inc.) with the primary purpose of enhancing student learning, with specific purposes for each technology including improvements in writing, reflection, and time-management skills. An analysis of the use of Web 2.0 technologies included comparing student and preceptor evaluations, mapping learning outcomes to assessments, and evaluating student engagement with the technologies, blog statistics, survey data, and application utilization.

From 2017 to 2019, 40 students were engaged with Web 2.0 technologies as a component of their APPE. Student and preceptor evaluations remained relatively unchanged compared to evaluations before using Web 2.0. Students maintained high levels of engagement across applications including 2928 Facebook comments, 4016 "likes", 280 blog posts, and 158 blog comments. Survey results revealed that students perceived that Facebook and blogging helped improve overall learning and communication skills meeting important learning outcomes.

The integration of two APPEs with Web 2.0 technologies enhanced learning and achieved learning outcomes for students on their adult acute care rotation.