Overview

Conduct an educational technology needs assessment for your current workplace setting or another health care setting you are familiar with and interested in. Document the results of your needs assessment in a 3–5-page report.

Note: Each assessment in this course builds upon the work you have completed in previous assessments. Therefore, complete the assessments in the order in which they are presented.

As thoughtful stewards of organizational resources, nurse educators must be able to determine whether new educational technology, upgrades to existing technology, or changes in current technology use will help to close performance gaps, improve patient outcomes, and yield measurable benefits for nursing staff and the organization at large. A comprehensive needs assessment distinguishes needs from wants, compares the current state with the desired state, and enables sound decision making.

This assessment provides an opportunity for you to assess the need for changes in existing educational technology, or the current use of that technology, to improve nursing education in a setting of your choice.

Required Resources

The following resources are required to complete the assessment.

Templates

Use this template for your needs assessment.

• APA Style Paper Template [DOCX].

Media

• Vila Health: Educational Technology Needs Assessment.
  • Vila Health is a virtual environment that simulates a real-world health care system. In the various Vila Health challenges, you will apply professional strategies, practice skills, and build competencies that you can apply to your coursework and in your career. The information you gather in this challenge will help you to complete the assessment.

  Assessment Instructions

  Note: Complete the assessments in this course in the order in which they are presented.

  Preparation

  Workplace Setting and Educational Context

  You may choose your current workplace setting or another health care setting you are familiar with and interested in as the context for this assessment and all subsequent assessments. Also, in your selected setting, choose the educational context within which the technology is being used:

  • Academic.
  • Clinical (on the job).
  • Continuing professional education.

  As you work through each assessment in this course, imagine yourself as the director of nursing education or fulfilling a similar role in your organization. In your capacity as director, you are aware that several organizational training initiatives and ongoing educational programs have not met expectations. You suspect that part of the reason for this can be attributed to the ineffective use of existing educational technologies, and in some cases, the lack of appropriate tools and technology. Consequently, you have decided to conduct a needs assessment to determine what changes in existing technologies, or their use, you might propose to executive leaders that would have a positive impact on current nursing processes, staff performance, and patient outcomes.To prepare for the assessment, you are encouraged to reflect on how educational technologies, such as simulation equipment, e-learning, and remote communication technologies, are used to support nursing education or training programs you are familiar with. Then, consider the effectiveness of these technologies and whether new or upgraded technologies, or changes in current use, might help close performance gaps and improve patient outcomes. In addition, you may wish to review the assessment requirements and scoring guide to ensure you understand the work you will be asked to complete.Note: Remember that you can submit all, or a portion of, your draft needs assessment to Smarthinking Tutoring for feedback, before you submit the final version for this assessment. If you plan on using this free service, be mindful of the turnaround time of 24–48 hours for receiving feedback.

  Requirements

  Conduct an educational technology needs assessment.Note: If you have not already done so, complete the Vila Health: Educational Technology Needs Assessment challenge, linked in the Required Resources.The needs assessment requirements, outlined below, correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide, so be sure to address each point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. In addition, be sure to note the requirements below for document format and length and for citing supporting evidence.

  • Describe how nurses are currently using educational technology within the setting and educational context you have chosen for this assessment.
    • What information is lacking that would provide you with a more complete or accurate description of current usage?
    • Is your description based on any particular assumptions?
  • Compare the current state of educational technology use with the desired state (best practices in nursing education).
    • Choose any analysis methodology that you are familiar with and comfortable using. For example:
      • Gap analysis.
      • SWOT or TOWS analysis.
      • Appreciative inquiry (discover and dream steps).
    • Address the following:
      • What, if any, changes are needed in how nurses currently use the existing technology?
      • Is there a need for a new technology solution?
      • On what do you base your conclusions?
  • Assess the metrics used to determine the benefits of current educational technology use.
    • Are the metrics sufficient for the intended purpose?
    • What are the best practices that could help improve the quality, interpretation, and use of the data?
  • Explain how new or existing educational technology aligns with the strategic mission of the organization.
    • If needed, locate a public statement of the organization’s mission.
  • Recommend changes to existing educational technology, or current use of the technology, that will improve nursing education.
    • How will your recommendations result in improvements in nursing education?
    • What evidence do you have to support your conclusions and recommendations?
  • Support assertions, arguments, propositions, and conclusions with relevant and credible evidence.
    • Is your supporting evidence clear and explicit?
      • How or why does particular evidence support a claim?
      • Will your reader see the connection?
    • Did you summarize, paraphrase, and quote your sources appropriately?
  • Write clearly and concisely in a logically coherent and appropriate form and style.
    • Write with a specific purpose and audience in mind.
    • Adhere to scholarly and disciplinary writing standards and APA formatting requirements.

  Document Format and Length

  Format your needs assessment using current APA style.

  • Use the APA Style Paper Template, linked in the Required Resources. An APA Style Paper Tutorial is also provided (linked in the Suggested Resources) to help you in writing and formatting your needs assessment. Be sure to include:
    • A title page and references page. An abstract is not required.
    • A running head on all pages.
    • Appropriate section headings.
  • Your needs assessment should be 3–5 pages in length, not including the title page and references page.

  SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

  Cite at least three credible sources from peer-reviewed journals or professional industry publications to support your needs assessment.

  Additional Requirements

  Proofread your needs assessment, before you submit it, to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on the substance of your assessment.