Nursing and Midwifery Students' Perceptions and Experiences of Using Blended Learning in Rwanda: A Qualitative Study.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Educational Technology
• Nursing Education

Background:

• Blended learning (BL) adoption is increasing in Rwandan higher learning institutions (HLIs).
• Student experiences with BL in post-secondary nursing and midwifery programs remain underexplored.
• This study investigates student perceptions of BL in Rwanda's HLIs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore student perceptions and experiences with blended learning in Rwandan nursing and midwifery programs.
• To identify benefits and challenges associated with blended learning implementation.
• To provide recommendations for improving blended learning in pre-service healthcare education.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive study design.
• Online focus group discussions (FGDs) with 33 nursing and midwifery students.
• Inductive content analysis of FGD transcripts.

Main Results:

• Blended learning is perceived as a novel and effective teaching method.
• Key benefits include flexibility, time savings, and cost-effectiveness.
• Significant challenges include technological issues, lack of ICT skills, and poor internet connectivity.

Conclusions:

• Blended learning holds promise for enhancing nursing and midwifery education in Rwanda.
• Addressing technological and connectivity challenges is crucial for successful BL implementation.
• Recommendations are provided to improve BL effectiveness in HLIs.