iPod, uPod? An emerging mobile learning tool in nursing education and students’ satisfaction

Margaret Maag
University of San Francisco

An increasing number of healthcare educators are using mobile learning applications, such as educational podcasts, in order to facilitate and enhance students’ learning. Ubiquitous mobile technologies are becoming more important in healthcare training because of the scarcity of educators and the increase in the number of first- and second-degree students enrolling in schools of nursing. Academic podcasts provide students opportunities to access face-to-face or distance audio presentations and instructor feedback in a convenient manner. However, further adaptation of this popular technology requires empirical research in order to determine the impact of the mobile media revolution on instructional design and learning effectiveness. Nursing students enrolled in a medical-surgical didactic course report high satisfaction with this up-and-coming mobile multimedia educational opportunity.

Keywords: learning, experiential, educational technologies, M-learning, nursing, education, pedagogy, theories