Ying-Mei Shu｜Lecturer, Department of Nursing Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan City, Taiwan; Ph. D. Candidate, Department of Education University of Taipei, Taipei City, Taiwan ｜inmeishu@mail.cgust.edu.tw
Download PDF▌Abstract
With the rapid integration of health information technology into the medical field, nursing informatics competencies are a crucial skill for nursing students. However, there are only a few relevant courses in university nursing programs, and there is a lack of teaching experience. The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness and learning experiences of applying Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory in the ‘Information Technology and Nursing’ curriculum. The course design follows the experiential learning steps: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. This study employs a quasi-experimental single-group pretest-posttest design, supplemented with analysis of learning reflection sheets. The participants were 81 first-year students from a two-year nursing program. The research instruments include the “Experience with Information Technology Products Questionnaire” and the “Effectiveness of Information Technology and Nursing Experiential Learning Course Questionnaire.” Data analysis utilizes descriptive statistics and one-way repeated measures ANOVA, The results revealed that after five experiential activities, nursing students showed significant improvements in their scores for learning interest, learning confidence, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities between the pre-test and post-test. Reflective analysis confirms the survey results: students’ experiential learning courses involved exposure to innovative technological products, which sparked learning interest and boosted confidence; through group discussions, students actively constructed knowledge and enhanced interdisciplinary problem-solving abilities. This study supports that experiential learning can enhance learning effectiveness, transforming it into meaningful learning.
Keywords: Health Information Technology, Experiential Learning, Nursing