Evaluating the use of streaming video to support student learning in a first-year life sciences course for student nurses

Abstract

Streaming video was used to support the learning of first year student nurses on a Life Sciences module, as one of many innovations designed to increase the range of resources and support available to students. This paper describes the background to this innovation, the procedures adopted and the results of extensive evaluation. The use of streaming video was evaluated in three applications in the module. A total of 656 students used online directed-learning sessions that incorporated streamed video. Just over half of these students actually viewed the video streams. Their feedback showed that 32% found access easy, 59% enjoyed using the resources, and 25% were very confident that they learned from them. Different types of video were used, and embedded in diverse ways, but the results were consistent across the three applications. They suggest that streamed video can contribute to useful resources to support learning by student nurses but, for a variety of reasons, it may not appeal or be adequately accessible to all students at present.