Diane M. Wink

Social Networking Sites

In this bimonthly series, the author examines how nurse educators can use the Internet and Web-based computer technologies such as search, communication, and collaborative writing tools, social networking and social bookmarking sites, virtual worlds, and Web-based teaching and learning programs. This article describes social networking Web sites and techniques to increase their safe use.

Using questioning as a teaching strategy.

Effective use of questioning as a teaching strategy can help nursing students draw on and apply acquired knowledge in new and unique situations. By considering the questions classification, environment, source, delivery, and response, faculty can improve their use of this important teaching strategy.

Virtual learning environments: second life.

In this bimonthly series, the authors examine how nurse educators can use the Internet and Web-based computer technologies such as search, communication, collaborative writing tools; social networking and social bookmarking sites; virtual worlds; and Web-based teaching and learning programs. The editor of this column and her coauthor describes how the virtual world of Second Life can be used in nursing education.

The Effective Clinical Conference.

Clinical conference can make a significant contribution to the total learning experience of the nursing student. These group events contribute to the achievement of course and clinical objectives, and provide settings for the student to explore personal feelings and attitudes related to client care.

Web-based collaboration tools.

In this bimonthly series, the author examines how nurse educators can use Internet and Web-based computer technologies such as search, communication, and collaborative writing tools; social networking and social bookmarking sites; virtual worlds; and Web-based teaching and learning programs. This article describes Web-based collaboration tools and techniques to increase their effectiveness.

Academic-based nurse-managed centers: six key questions.

A school of nursing that is planning an academic-based nurse-managed center must consider the many implications of this action. It requires a long-term commitment to the community and to the individual clients served, and time, energy, and consistent funding will be needed to maintain viability. Six key questions that must be answered are explored.

Teaching with technology: finding information on the internet.

In this bimonthly series, the author examines how nurse educators can use Internet and Web-based computer technologies such as search, communication, and collaborative writing tools; social networking and social bookmarking sites; virtual worlds; and Web-based teaching and learning programs. This article describes approaches to finding information on the Web. Web-based search tools including Internet search engines, organizational databases, and those at the library will be discussed. Techniques to evaluate the validity, usefulness, and applicability of search outcomes are included.

Twitter: An Application to Encourage Information Seeking Among Nursing Students.

Twitter is a social networking application that has seen limited evaluation in nursing education. The aim of this study was to determine if Twitter could be used to stimulate further exploration about current clinical and professional topics with nurse practitioner students. The students used Twitter to receive tweets on clinical and professional topics from the instructor throughout the semester: 75% demonstrated willingness to follow the links in the tweets to seek more information, and 87% expressed a desire to receive the tweets even after the semester was over.

Impact of double testing on student knowledge in a professional issues course.

Collaborative testing, allowing students to work together on the completion of an examination, is used in a wide variety of disciplines. This study examines the impact of this testing technique on knowledge of students in an undergraduate Health Care Issues, Policy and Economics course. Results indicate that although this approach does not increase student knowledge to a statistically significant level, it does increase individual student scores. This increase in examination scores may be of significance to the learner.

Teaching with technology: computer basics.

In this bimonthly series, the author examines how nurse educators can use Internet and Web-based computer technologies such as search, communication, and collaborative writing tools, social networking and social bookmarking sites, virtual worlds, and Web-based teaching and learning programs. This article describes approaches to finding information on the Web. Web-based search tools including Internet search engines, organizational databases, and those at the library will be discussed. Techniques to evaluate the validity, usefulness, and applicability of search outcomes are included.