Interesting yet neutral learning/academic experiences for me are when individuals go over the top with technology. For example, a very elaborate and flamboyant presentation with many visualizations that are changing rapidly or if someone talks fast while the visualizations are changing frequently, these are all more distracting in my opinion than helpful. Although I do enjoy seeing how far technology has progressed, and elaborate presentations are interesting, I remain neutral in that it may not actually be enhancing my learning due to distraction.

In my professional experience, I find it similar that direct presentations where information is shared with intention (versus distraction) is best. I personally prefer a small to moderate amount of visualizations/technology, again, as long as it contributes to the material and is not distracting. At this point in my career, direct information presentation is important, without providing excess. 

These videos where the background is white and the visuals contribute to what is being explained are the ones I like the most. I am sure some of you have seen this type of video in the past. This one is on ABG analysis as an example of my personal preferred use of technology in learning.

One of the pieces of technology that helped me to learn in the clinical setting during my residency program and fellowship was the technologically advanced mannequins used during simulations. The mannequins were very realistic, and many could talk and respond to questions you asked. The mannequin I used in my postpartum nursing residency started to hemorrhage fake blood! The child mannequin in my fellowship turned blue, closed their eyes, and stopped breathing which was super realistic and insane to watch when it was simulating a patient in respiratory distress. These advanced mannequins helped to create a very realistic environment for the simulations that positively contributed to my learning. I felt I could realistically practice how to respond to patient emergencies and decompensation situations without fear of mistakes harming my patient. In addition, we were able in our program to video record our simulations and play them back during our official debriefing with our professional development specialist and the other members of our simulation group. Watching the videos of myself after the simulation was so impactful and allowed us to discuss as a group constructively how to improve our performance. For example, we could watch the video and discuss what things did each person do well and what things we need to change moving forward. Having the videos made trying to remember what you did not the focus of the debriefing but instead shifted the focus to learning from the simulation experience and any mistakes we had made. It was great to be able to reference the video and have a way to re-play what had been done to enhance the discussion and review of the information and concepts we learned in our residency program. 

Technology that has been interesting but neutral:

In my learning experience in high school, we transitioned to having smart boards in every single classroom. I remember the school saying that it was supposed to be a great advancement for teaching, and it was designed to help support the teachers with their classes. I really liked the idea when they were introduced that the smart board was advertised as being a way to make the classroom more interactive. Although some teachers used the technology well and implemented the cool gadgets associated with the smart board such as writing directly on the screen it didn’t really support or do anything to help my learning. I remember that many of the teachers requested that whiteboards be brought back into the classrooms for them to use to explain/demonstrate concepts in addition to the smart board. I remember that this was the year also that many of my teachers transitioned from using the whiteboard to explain/write out concepts to using all power-point presentations (so what was the point of the smartboard if not many teachers wanted to use it). The transition to mostly PowerPoint based learning did not greatly support my learning and was just neutral to me at the time. In my opinion it was just a waste of money, and they should have given the money they spent on them to the arts programs which at my school were poorly funded! 

Technology that is distracting to my learning:

I am a bit sick of PowerPoint presentations. At my work we definitely suffer from death by PowerPoint. At my work practically everything is presented to us for instruction or education as a PowerPoint or a video with an associated PowerPoint. Many times, especially with work education presentations, I find myself not paying attention to the PowerPoint presentation and ignoring it because frankly the slides are filled to the brim with information to the point, they are crowding the entire screen. The amount of information crammed onto the screen is overwhelming at times and I realistically just won’t remember all the information they put on each slide. Depending on the presentation many of the visuals are distracting or are not supportive of the educational materials and seem to only be there for decoration, which then what is the point of them being there at all. I really like PowerPoint as an application and piece of technology because it can do so much, I just want to figure out the best way to use it so that it does not detract from learning and doesn’t bore people to death. 

Another type of technology that can detract from my learning is video presentations. I have a hard time learning from video presentations. I prefer reading and writing as my preferred learning style so videos, especially ones without any words are especially difficult for me to learn from. I also notice that they are predominant and the preferred method of teaching for our new educator at work which is frustrating for me personally. It’s difficult for me to learn from videos because I have to pause the video to write notes then rewind it to just the right spot and listen again to catch exactly what the presenter/speaker is saying which can take lots of time and can be extremely frustrating. I have many times spent 20-30 minutes on a 5–10-minute video due to pauses, re-watching sections and trying to write effective notes for my own retention of the information being presented in the video. 

I am curious if anyone has found any resources or information about how to create good effective PowerPoint presentations that don’t bore everyone to death?

Morgan Sidles 

I like when technology is used to make the learning experience more efficient and materials more accessible. For example, I like having online textbooks and other online sources materials, because I can use the "find" function to quickly search what I am looking for and I can take screen shots of tables and charts that I find helpful. I can also organize materials on my computer rather than having to collect papers and textbooks. I like when PowerPoints are posted and accessible so I can reference them later or take notes on them. I also like the use of short videos to portray information in a short and succinct way. It Is also a great way to break up lectures and reading materials to maintain my interest and attention. 

 

Negative experiences: 

Technology is the least helpful when it essentially replaces the instructor. Online courses I have taken have not been the best experience when I, the learner, is expected to learn all the material from reading articles and the textbook. I learn best through discussion, lectures, and activities. I like when the instructor explains the material and emphasizes the most important points. Learning materials, such as textbook, and articles, should be supplemental and should help me understand concepts the professor presents in a lecture or in discussion. I also find it difficult when instructors assign or provide a plethora of links from different sources. It can be overwhelming and distracting to my learning when I have to click through various links and go to multiple websites.

 

 Long videos and podcasts are also distracting. We discussed this in the last in-person class, and I definitely related to the students who could not finish the longer videos. I definitely do not have the attention span to watch a 20-minute video, especially when the speaker speaks very slowly and discusses materials that I could have read in a textbook or article in half the time. When watching a video or listening to a podcast, I tend to get distracted or try to multitask, and then I have to rewind the video or podcast. Consequently, it will sometimes take actually 30 to 40 minutes to watch a 20-minute video. I am not as great at multitasking as I like to think.

 

Interesting, but neutral:  

Being introduced to so many technological tools has been interesting. Sometimes it can be frustrating, but it is exciting to find a new tool that I like and would like to incorporate into my routine as a learner. I am open to trying new tools, but it is frustrating when a new tool is not easy to use initially and takes time and effort before the tool becomes an efficient use of my time. For example, I remember when I first learned to use Canvas in my undergraduate program. I remember feeling really frustrated and longing for a physical syllabus, but now I cringe at the idea of needing everything to be printed and having to physically turn in all my assignments. 

The OR professional organization – AORN has started doing podcasts for some of the material instead of just articles and that is great for being able to do chores and listen at the same time. There have been times in which I wasn’t excited in the content, but the application of delivery made a difference. For example, in reading articles and posting my thoughts on a discussion board, I learned a lot from my peers when they shared their insights too. I could digest and share my reflections and read others at my pace. Times in which I have seen technology as a distraction were when it didn’t work right or was applied in the wrong way or used out of context. I think PowerPoint can be overused, and not always conducive to the message that is being relayed in the workplace. 

In general, for my learning needs I tend to search youtube for “how to” clips. I even use youtube as my gym!

I admit I have a love/hate relationship with technology – when it is used, why and the how. The class discussions and this reflection has gotten me thinking about generational differences, so like I tend to do now, I searched youtube and I found this ted talk helpful. As an educator I need to gain better understanding of generation Z coming into the workplace so that I can more effectively assist in their learning. I’m curious to hear or read your thoughts. https://www.ted.com/talks/jonah_stillman_the_phigital_world_of_gen_z 

 

I am surprising myself and I am going to talk about Zoom next – again, both positive and negative experiences. I have been in a few Zoom classes, through a work-related conference – where I learned a lot. First of all, they were only 2 hours classes. Secondly, almost all attending had their cameras on. The person leading the class did a great job putting us into breakout rooms for small group discussions with clear instructions and time limits. It was a really cool way to attend a class with people across the country whom I would not normally be able to interact with. I also attended the first International Schwartz Rounds on Zoom. Although this was not a traditional class, I did learn about other’s experiences of compassion during the pandemic that was very moving. Again, I was able to connect with people I would never otherwise be able to connect with – and it felt very different to be with them in real time vs. watching some sort of recording. Many of my experiences on Zoom have been terrible – mostly in work meetings where people do not have screens on and are obviously not paying any attention at all. I will blame this on our work culture/expectations around Zoom, not the technology itself. 

I replied to Summer's post about TED Talks - LOVE LOVE LOVE. Somehow the combination of learning and inspiration is always there.

I have been slightly distracted when instructors use a website within the canvas site to provide materials, it feels like we need to just choose one. I have gotten mixed up and couldn’t find a resource that was a little buried. 

Overall, I am slow when it comes to learning new technology and if instructors go to quickly, I get behind and then feel frustrated and overwhelmed. I will have to remember this myself when introducing any technology into the classroom – and allow extra time to make sure everyone is on the same page. 

The use of educational technology has therefore become essential for today's learners because it offers them an opportunity to learn much faster than they would if they were not using such tools and programs.

Simulation is the key technology that is the pilot learning platform of critical thinking and clinical judgment in nursing education. Simulation modeling solves real-world problems safely and efficiently. It provides an important method of analysis that is easily verified, communicated, and understood. Across industries and disciplines, simulation modeling provides valuable solutions by giving clear insights into complex systems. The High Fidelity manikin in simulation is phenomenal. High-fidelity patient simulators are life-like manikins that react physiologically as if alive. These advanced manikins are used to recreate real-life situations and provide learners with an opportunity to practice and refine clinical skills without the risk of patient harm. However, maximizing learning in instruction with high-fidelity manikin simulation requires professional training, which can stress enough nursing faculty in their instruction as continuing education would be an ongoing burden. 
The simulation is beneficial in learning clinical skills, communication skills, leadership, and social justice all in one place. Prebriefing and debriefing offer tremendous learning improvement. The technology embedded in the simulation is enormous. It also provides a fun and engaging learning experience for students. 

Today's learners are not only required to learn but also to have fun while doing so. Educational technology offers students the opportunity to have fun while learning, which will also help them stay motivated and excited about their studies. The millennial characteristics need to be carefully considered in simulation education to weigh out the benefits. When the simulation is operated with trained faculty, it will bring maximized benefits. 

Zoom/Teams technology offers the closing gap in space. The best benefit is to provide access in an equity setting. I admit that there are pros and cons. I hate that there is no face, no voice, but they still attend... learners can be isolated without interaction. Nevertheless, when it is set by the instructor in various features and formats, it can optimize learning experiences.