Technology has become a major influence that has affected how students access information and can use it theoretically and practically. My personal journey that will lead to a career in nursing education has been critically dependent on technology. Thus, my individual learning experiences often relied on online platforms that contained the needed data and the current literature on the subjects I need for my academic practice. Based on my experience, technology has enhanced my learning opportunities and abilities in multiple ways. First, it is important to mention that having a smartphone means being able to access medical journals and scholarly sources for evidence-based information. Moreover, any new findings and discoveries in the field of healthcare are also available for individuals to access via devices. This means that keeping up with relevant updates is easy, and each student can easily find and learn the newest scientific data that may or may not correspond with the previously accepted version.
This is especially important in the nursing field since such data may positively impact educational outcomes as a whole. Another positive influence of technology is the ability to quickly and effectively find information on any given subject. Textbooks, which are helpful in having structured and organized topics with all the necessary material, are not as effective in terms of being entirely informational. This is evident since there are countless scholarly resources online, while a textbook is meant for the primary data on each given subject.
While such learning has been largely effective, there are certain limitations that could have been addressed. For example, not being able to access information because of a problem with the network has been a major downside in my personal experience. While such issues have been rare, and their outcomes were not critical due to the fast fixing of the problems, they were inconveniences that had an effect on my learning capabilities.
The technology that has been the most useful based on my learning preferences is my smartphone. It is compact, which means that I can read and learn regardless of my location. Moreover, using a smartphone is effective in terms of being flexible and communicating with teachers and fellow students in case certain subjects are more complex. Thus, I can share information and receive the necessary answers from multiple people who have better expertise in the topic that I study.
From an educator’s perspective, I understand that ethical considerations are to be addressed. According to research, technology has not changed nursing education but created other ways to access it (Goodchild, 2018). Thus, making alterations in the system to make it more accessible will not correlate with lower results and less favorable outcomes. Some parameters that should be in place are the accessibility of technology, the repercussions if the accessibility is not present, and ways to provide equal opportunities despite the lack of devices commonly used for learning. Students who have physical disabilities, speak English as a second language, have low literacy levels, or cannot afford the devices or internet services require an individualized approach. Such students have the right to receive the same learning opportunities, which is why textbooks, in-person assistance, and in-print information provision are some of the measures that can be applied. The exclusion of such individuals is unethical based on the overall academic aim of being inclusive and equal in terms of opportunities regardless of one’s background, physical abilities, and financial difficulties.
Reference
Goodchild, T. (2018). Does technology really enhance nurse education? Nurse Education Today, 66, 69–72. Web.