Learner’s Generated Digital Media Usage and Effects among Nursing Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: The use of learner’s generated digital media (LGDM) in education has accelerated several learning processes that were hitherto very complex and difficult to teach and learn in the past. They come in various multimedia formats to help ease learning and teaching experiences via telecommunication technologies and the Internet.

Problem: Learning using LGDM in nursing science requires professional skills, motivations and intentions of users who generate multimedia and deploy them for learning. Understanding LGDM usage in learning and its significant effects may improve academic performance of the learner, motivation and adoption for nursing student.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of LGDM on nursing learner’s skills (improved Academic Performances), motivation and intention to use LGDM in their learning programme by formulating hypotheses based on technology acceptance models.

Methods: We carried out a survey research methodology of LGDM usage among nursing student of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and National Open University of Nigeria (Benin and Asaba study centre). Nursing student (N=500) of year 3 student was the focus group. Random sampling was used to select the participant (students) and a structured questionnaire was administered to them to provide responses to the closed-ended questions contained therein. Examining the role of Technological Acceptance Model (TAM) and Motivation model in learning established the theoretical framework presented in this research to determine the relationship of LGDM usage to learner intention and academic performance. Structured Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to analyse the theoretical framework path diagram.

Results: Among the commonly used LGDM by the nursing students were podcast (video, audio) and e-books alongside with printable learning materials (PDF) for their learning experiences. Although most of those LGDM resources are readily available and free to access, most of the LGDM format require enormous bandwidth to download them hence a burden for learner. The analyses of the path diagram using SEM revealed significant relationships of core framework parameters (Effort Efficiency, Social Influence, Performance expectance) on Behaviour intention, motivation and improved Academic Performances of motivated nursing student who use multimedia for their learning.

Conclusions: Nursing students are determined to use LGDM to enhance their learning and improve their academic performance. The findings in this work provide both contextual and practical blueprints for qualitative and collaborative learning and it will benefit education authorities and institutions that offer specialised nursing training and programmes to students for effective and qualitative health care delivery