Nursing Students’ Attitudes toward an Adaptive Learning Technology in a Pharmacology Course

• Published in: Ubiquitous learning Vol. 12; no. 4; pp. 25 - 35
• Main Authors: Extavour, Rian Marie, Ocho, Oscar, Allison, Gillian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Champaign Common Ground Research Networks 2019
• Subjects: Attitudes; Colleges & universities; Computer Assisted Instruction; Learning; Learning Experience; Likert Scales; Nursing; Pharmacology; Students
• ISSN: 1835-9795; 2475-9686
• DOI: 10.18848/1835-9795/CGP/v12i04/25-35

Adaptive learning technologies (ALTs) support learning through mastery based on the learner’s ability. In a BSc nursing pharmacology course at the University of the West Indies (St. Augustine), one such ALT was introduced to support blended delivery of the course. This study aimed to determine students’ perceptions, attitudes and use of the ALT, to identify associations between perceptions and recommendation for use, and to compare performance with a traditional class. To determine students’ perceptions, attitudes, and use, a structured questionnaire was administered consisting of Likert scales and open-ended questions. Means and standard deviations were used to describe average ratings, Spearman’s correlation was used to assess associations, and a t-test was used to compare means. Thirty-one of thirty-four students participated; the mean age was twenty-three years. Students’ reported a positive learning experience, and found the ALT to be moderately effective in learning. Attitudes were mixed regarding the use of similar tools in other courses. Positive correlations were found between perceived effectiveness and learning experience with recommendation for other courses. The ALT-taught class achieved higher course marks than the traditional class of a previous year. Overall, the ALT system was positively received by the students as an instructional tool.