2018, Pimmer, Christoph, Gütersloh, Christoph, Linxen, Sebastian, Rohner, Roland

2015, Chipps, Jennifer, Pimmer, Christoph, Brysiewicz, Petra, Walters, Fiona, Linxen, Sebastian, Ndebele, Thandi, Gröhbiel, Urs

2014, Pimmer, Christoph, Linxen, Sebastian, Chipps, Jennifer, Brysiewicz, Petra, Gröhbiel, Urs, Walters, Fiona

This paper outlines the findings of a research project intended to facilitate the learning of health professionals across work-based and formal learning contexts by means of mobile technology. The focus of the educational approach was on the use of digital mobile media, and particularly mobile networking technologies to support social learning practices of professionals, i.e., nurses, in marginalized settings in rural South Africa. The overall project was informed by previous studies from marginalized contexts that pointed to the potential of mobile phones and mobile social networking technologies as a means to facilitate the learners engagement with explicit forms of educational content as well as to allow for their extended participation in professional, work-based communities (Kolko, Rose, & Johnson, 2007; Pimmer, Linxen, & Gröhbiel, 2012; Pimmer, Linxen, Gröhbiel, Jha, & Burg, 2013).

2012-12-01T00:00:00Z, Pimmer, Christoph, Linxen, Sebastian, Gröhbiel, Urs, Kumar Jha, Anil, Burg, Günter

Background: The achievement of the millennium development goals may be facilitated by the use of information and communication technology in medical and health education. Aims: This study intended to explore the use and impact of educational technology in medical education in resource-constrained environments. Methods: A multiple case study was conducted in two Nepalese teaching hospitals. The data were analysed using activity theory as an analytical basis. Results: There was little evidence for formal e-learning, but the findings indicate that students and residents adopted mobile technologies, such as mobile phones and small laptops, as cultural tools for surprisingly rich "informal" learning in a very short time. These tools allowed learners to enhance (a) situated learning, by immediately connecting virtual information sources to their situated experiences; (b) cross-contextual learning by documenting situated experiences in the form of images and videos and re-using the material for later reflection and discussion; and (c) engagement with educational content in social network communities. Conclusion: By placing the students and residents at the centre of the new learning activities, this development has begun to affect the overall educational system. Leveraging these tools is closely linked to the development of broad media literacy, including awareness of ethical and privacy issues.

2017, Pimmer, Christoph, Chipps, Jennifer, Brysiewicz, Petra, Walters, Fiona, Linxen, Sebastian, Gröhbiel, Urs

2015, Pimmer, Christoph, Chipps, Jennifer, Brysiewicz, Petra, Linxen, Sebastian, Gröhbiel, Urs

2014, Pimmer, Christoph, Brysiewicz, Petra, Walters, Fiona, Linxen, Sebastian

Background: With the proliferation of portable digital technology, mobile learning is becoming increasingly popular in nursing education and practice. Most of the research in this field has been concentrated on small-scale projects in high income countries. Very little is known about the ways in which nurses and midwives use mobile technology in remote and resource poor areas in informal learning contexts in low and middle income countries. Objectives: To address this gap, this study investigates whether nurses use mobile phones as effective educational tools in marginalized and remote areas, and if so, how and why. Setting and Methods: In rural South Africa, 16 nurses who attended an advanced midwifery education program, facilitators and clinical managers were interviewed about their use of digital mobile technology for learning. Techniques of qualitative content analysis were used to examine the data.

2016, Pimmer, Christoph, Linxen, Sebastian, Gröhbiel, Urs, Chipps, Jennifer, Brysiewicz, Petra, Walters, Fiona

2014, Brysiewicz, Petra, Pimmer, Christoph, Chipps, Jennifer, Walters, Fiona, Linxen, Sebastian, Gröhbiel, Urs

2013-06-29T00:00:00Z, Pimmer, Christoph, Gröhbiel, Urs, Walters, Fiona, Linxen, Sebastian, Chipps, Jennifer

Background/rationale: Many mhealth and mlearning interventions fail, because they adopt a techno-centric view and ignore the local context. To address this, the present study investigated the 'organic' adoption and educational usage of mobile phones by health workers in rural health settings. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted interviewing nursing/advanced midwifery students, facilitators and nursing managers from rural, resource-constrained regions in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Content analysis used the concepts of Community of Inquiry theory as 'a priori-constructs'. Results: The research revealed a number of unexpected learning and teaching practices - based on the grass-root adoption of mobile phone functions and in particular social apps. These practices involved cognitive, teaching and social presence as well as reflective practice and enabled rich educational experiences - according to the Community of Inquiry Theory.