1

Perspectives on the use of wikis: “Communication for

Professional Health Care” module

Helen OrtonSchool of Health Sciences

Institute of Learning and Teaching

Learning and Teaching Conference 29th June 2011

Regulatory frameworks

Knowledge and Skills framework

Quality Assurance

Agency

Communication

External agencies

Health Professions Council

Knowledge and Skills Framework

Standards of Proficiency

Code of Conduct,

Performance and Ethics

Level 4

Level 3

Level 2**

Level 1

Semester One

Inter-professional sessions:◦ Diagnostic Radiography and Radiotherapy (n=81)◦ Nursing (n=48)◦ Occupational Therapy (n=55)◦ Orthoptics (n=44)◦ Physiotherapy (n=43)◦ (Total 211)

Uni-professional sessions

Delivery of module

In response to:

Facilitators’ concerns of the lack of student engagement in the module

Learner-centred demand

Constructivist-learning paradigm

Why introduce WIKIS?

Wikis set up for multi-professional groups (n=22)

Tasks added on a weekly basis to address specific learning outcomes

Podcasts of patient interviews

Digital stories

Video clips

Other web-based resources

How were WIKIS utilised?

Student evaluation of the module on last session

Facilitator evaluation in February

Evaluation based on a Likert Scale (1 to 6)

Evaluations

Grade Students Facilitators

1 Strongly agree Most definitely yes

2 Agree Yes

3 Neither No opinion

4 Disagree No

5 Strongly disagree Most definitely no

6 Not applicable Not applicable

Evaluations

STUDENT FACILITATORS

Four main areas:

Training and

preparation on the use

of WIKIS

Management of WIKIS

Student involvement

Value in learning

Two main areas

Access to WIKIS

Value of WIKIS in preparation and learning process

Evaluations – free text

STUDENTS FACILITATORS

Questions regarding

positive and negative

aspects of the module

Areas for

improvement

Questions regarding:

Purpose of wikis from a

teaching and learning

perspective

Improving the use of wikis

to make them more

efficient/ effective

Evaluations

STUDENTS FACILITATORS

72.48% response rate (n=153)

Nursing 45.8% Radiography 64.7% Occupational Therapy

and Orthoptics 81.3% Physiotherapy 88.3%

63.6% response rate (n=14)

Results

1 2 3 4 5 60

1

2

3

4

5

6

Facilitators’ perception of the train-ing and preparation

Sufficient information and guidance on use of WIKIS

1 2 3 4 5 60

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Facilitators’ role in the management of WIKIS

Ease of accesing

Set up weekly contents page

Edit/ add information

Set deadlines for students

Beneficial to read stu-dents' comments pior to session

1 2 3 4 5 60

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Facilitators’ perception of student involvement

All students accessed the wiki

Lack of contributions due to accessing difficulties

Students' contributions were not timely

Students free-loaded

Same students con-tributed

Same professional groups contributed

1 2 3 4 5 60

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Facilitators’ perception of the value of WIKIS in learning

Wikis encouraged student in-teraction

Wikis used to maximum po-tential

Wikis provide an interactive form of teaching

Wikis provide opportunity for feedback on comments

Wikis are valuable teaching tool for module

1 2 3 4 5 60

5

10

15

20

25

Students’ perceptions regarding the ease of accessibility of WIKIS

Nursing

Occupational Therapy

Orthoptics

Physiotherapy

Radiography (Diagnostic and Therapy)

1 2 3 4 5 60

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Students’ perception of the value of WIKIS in the learning process

Nursing

Occupational Therapy

Orthoptics

Physiotherapy

Radiography (Diagnostic and Therapy)

1 2 3 4 5 60

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Overall students’ perception of WIKIS

Wikis helped me to learnWikis were easy to access

Negative aspects of WIKIS

STUDENTS FACILITATORS

Difficult to use/ access

Repetitive and a waste of

time

Set up arrangements

affected the ease of

making comments

Preparation pointless

Comments repetitive

Created an additional

task

Difficult to link

contributions made by

students

Difficult in accessing

Positive aspects of WIKI

STUDENTS FACILITATORS

Well run

Assisted in incorporating

preparation work

Facilitator kept up with

the wiki

Facilitator encouraged

students to complete the

wiki

Provided a mechanism for

the students to prepare well

and work for the module

Increased student

engagement and reflection

Enabled a monitoring

system

Added depth to theory and

knowledge prior to sessions

The future?

What the facilitators say

Sort out the

technology

Make

contrib

ution

s

anonymous

Back up with hard

copies

What the facilitators say

More time for the facilitators to practice and

clearer guidance for students to

comment on the postings

What the facilitators say

WIKI

Use sparingly

Ensure tasks are well structured with a purpose

Set specific tasks at start of each session which

incorporates tasks set on wiki

Use to stimulate

learning rather than repeat