The relationship of media and technology use status and attitudes of nursing students with self-directed learning skills

Abstract

In the contemporary digital era, nursing students rely on digital tools to access information, engage in social interactions, and participate in a range of activities. In light of these developments, it seems reasonable to suggest that an understanding of the ways in which nursing students utilize media and technology, and their attitudes towards these tools, could significantly enhance the planning and implementation of the educational process.

Purpose

The objective of this study was to ascertain the relationship between the media and technology use and attitudes of nursing students and their self-directed learning skills.

Methods

The study employed a correlational design. Data were collected from 411 nursing students at two universities between March 11, 2024, and April 19, 2024. Data was gathered using the Descriptive Information Form, the Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale (MTUAS), and the Self-Directed Learning Skills Scale (SDLSS).

Results

The vast majority of nursing students—95.6 %—used the Internet to follow social media, 76.6 % to research a topic of interest, 74 % to complete homework assignments, and 72.5 % to communicate. A positive, weak and statistically significant relationship was identified between the mean total SDLSS scores and the mean scores obtained from the smartphone usage (r = 0.165), e-mailing (r = 0.253), phone calling (r = 0.133), positive attitudes (r = 0.240) and the preference for task switching (r = 0.168) subscales of the MTUAS.

Conclusions

The findings revealed that the participants exhibited high levels of self-directed learning skills, high rates of media and social media use, and a positive attitude towards technology. However, they also demonstrated a high level of anxiety and dependence on technology and a moderate level of negative attitude towards technology. Consequently, it is recommended that the education and training process should be planned by taking these characteristics of the nursing students into consideration and that technology should be appropriately integrated into the interaction with the student.