"Let'sTalkMidwifery@UWE": Using social media to develop collaborative learning events in pre-registration midwifery education

“Let’sTalkMidwifery@UWE” describes an ongoing project which uses social media (SoMe) to enhance the learning experience of midwifery students. Through the course of the work, it has become apparent that SoMe use provides... [ view full abstract ]

“Let’sTalkMidwifery@UWE” describes an ongoing project which uses social media (SoMe) to enhance the learning experience of midwifery students. Through the course of the work, it has become apparent that SoMe use provides a virtual learning space where students interact, in real time, with women, field experts, health professionals and the interested public and provides a platform for discourse, debate and the co-construction of knowledge which promotes and safeguards normal birth.     

The UWE pre-registration midwifery programme aims to offer a transformative learning experience which equips our graduates with the knowledge, skills and values necessary to provide evidence informed, inclusive and individualised woman-centred care. The programme utilises enquiry based learning (EBL) as a central pedagogy, reflecting student centred approaches which focus on how students should learn, rather than what they should know (Fraser et al. 1998), and on creating tangible connections with women on a conceptual, emotional level (Clinchy et al. 1985). Each week, students participate in EBL which involves formulating research questions, locating, critiquing, producing and disseminating collaborative enquiry-led research within their peer group. However, this process does not allow students to test their emerging theories beyond their milieu and thus limits the context in which knowledge is generated. This project was set up to extend the research cycle. Throughout the year, specific occasions are selected to open up EBL feedback sessions to a wider audience using SoMe, providing accessible, social, informal routes for dissemination (Spronken-Smith et al 2013) enabling more diverse feedback and critique, whilst concurrently increasing student engagement, enhancing learning (Mysko and Delgaty 2015)

Initial evaluation highlights the potential for developing technology-based, global communities of enquiry which can enhance midwifery practice through improved student engagement and learning, as well as confidence with research and dissemination. Importantly, this includes accepting challenge to theories generated by enquiry and consideration of other perceptions. Nevertheless, this activity is not without challenges, to include managing potentially antagonistic and highly biased viewpoints from participants. Therefore the project includes collaborative reflection after each SoMe session and feedforward to shape the next activity and a formal evaluation arm to inform the value and sustainability of the project.

References

Clinchy, B., Belenky, M., Goldberger, N. and Tarule, G. (1985) Connected education for women Journal of Education 167(3), pp 28 – 45

Mysko C., Delgaty L., (2015) How and why are students using twitter for #meded? Integrating twitter into undergraduate medical education to promote active learning. ARECLS 12, pp 24-52 

Fraser D., Murphy R., Worth-Butler M., (1998) Preparing Effective Midwives: an outcome evaluation of the effectiveness of pre-registration midwifery programmes of education London: ENB 

Spronken-Smith RA., Brodeur J., Kajaks M., Myatt P., Verburgh A., Walkington H., Wuetherick B  (2013) Completing the research cycle: A framework for promoting dissemination of undergraduate research and inquiry Teaching & Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL Journal  1(2), pp 105 - 118