Emerging Technologies Ccoter

Emerging Technologies Ccoter

DIANE

J.

SKIBA

Nursing Education 2.0: Are Mashups Useful for Nursing Education^ VERY TIME I RECEIVEflnw issue o/Educause Review, / get excited, as I know I am going to learn about a new tool to facilitate learning. For example, the fuly/August

includes an article by

Brian Lamb, "Dr Mashup; or, why educators should learn to stop worrying and

Mashups in Higher Education and Health Care There are plenty of examples of mapping mashups in higher education. For example, the Educause Learning Initiative series, "7 Things You Should Know About Mapping Mashups" (4), offers several

love the remix." I had heard the term mashup bantered about in Web i.o

examples: 1) a professor uses a mashup to

circles, hut I had no experiences with mashups. HERE IS WHAT I LEARNED. show where World War II events took place; 2) a university map lists local apartments to Let me introduce the mashup concept by

tent and/or data for purposes that usually

help students find housing; 3) a professor of

imagining an example for Nursing 101. Sup-

were not intended or even imagined by the

geology maps evidence of tectonic plates on

pose you want to introduce your new students

original creators" (1). Lamb contrasts remix,

a world map. In fact, I found an interesting

to Florence Nightingale. You could have your

"the reworking or adaptation of an existing

site that displays recent earthquakes on a

students read an article or a book about her;

work," with mashup, which "involves the

map, along with corresponding news articles:

you could have them visit the Florence

combination of two or more works that may

http://earthquakes.tafoni.net/.

Nightingale Museum online (www.florence-

be very different from each other" (1, p. 14).

In health care, the Children's Hospital

nightingale.co.uk/index.php); or you could

He further explains that there are content

Information Program of the Harvard-MIT

have them interact with a mashup. One

mashups and data mashups.

Division of Health Sciences and Technology

mashup might use Google Maps to trace

Mashups allow common, everyday users

Nightingale's work in the Crimean War.

of the Internet to combine different applica-

(http://healthmap.org/about.php). It brings

Another might show a picture gallery of

tion tools to create a new product. Perhaps

together "disparate data sources to achieve a

Nightingale with her work displayed on a

the best thing is, you do not have to be, or

unified and comprehensive view of the cur-

map of London while music from the Victori-

hire, a C+++ programmer to develop a

rent global state of infectious diseases and

an period plays in the background.

mashup. All you need are tools that allow

their

sponsors a mashup called

effect

on

human

Healthmap

and

animal

It sounds great, doesn't it? But, you ask,

you to combine the various APIs (applica-

health... [It] integrates outbreak data of vary-

who has the time and the programming expe-

tion programming interfaces). For example,

ing reliability, ranging from news sources

rience to create such scenarios? As we all

you can use an API from a database applica-

(Google News) to created personal accounts

know, we are lucky when we have a week to

tion, combine it with the API for a mapping

(ProMED) to validated official alerts (World

do anything before classes start. Well, your

application like Google Maps, and create a

Health Organization and EuroSurveillance)."

prayers have been answered with this grow-

mashup of all datapoints on a map — such

On the map, a marker icon can represent a

ing application.

as all hospitals across the United States or

country as well as a local area, such as a

even the world. Here is a 30-second video

state. A color index indicates severity

that gives you a visualization of the process:

(ranging from yellow to orange to red), a

www.youtube.cotn/watch? v=17LMq25zd YE.

composite score of recent alerts, numbers of

What

Is

Wikipedia

a

Mashup?

According to

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Mashup_%28web_application_hybrid%29),

As David Berlind reports in the blog

outbreaks, and numbers of sources that provided the information.

"[a] mashup is a web application that com-

Between the Lines (3), mashups are great

bines data from more than one source into an

because "fewer technical skills are needed

This is a good site for consumers to

integrated experience." Here are two other

to become a developer than ever. Not only

check before traveling. I am off to Aus-

definitions to help clarify the concept: "two or

that, the simplest ones can be done in 10 or

tralia, where right now there is novovirus in

more software tools are merged and the result-

15 minutes." Berlind has created a good lit-

Brisbane. (I better look that up on the Inter-

ing new tool provides an enriched web experi-

tle video that explain what mashups are:

net.) I will not even tell you what I found

ence for end users" (2), and "mashups involve

http://mashupawards.com/what-is-a

under my home city, Denver, Colorado,

the reuse, or remixing, of works of art, of con-

-mashup/.

besides hantavirus, e-coli, and the plague

286 Nursing Education Perspectives

(prairie dogs). Think about how you could

vide an excellent opportunity to get students

use this site as part of a course where you

in the habit of creating EBP journal clubs,

mine what the next steps are. How would stu-

are examining global health and nursing.

collaborating on quality improvement pro-

dents handle all affected patients if they hit

You might use it for case scenarios, as a tool

jects, participating in joint research projects,

the ED? What symptoms might most likely

for seeking out evidence to handle cases of

and becoming a part of a larger network of

aid in the diagnosis? How should patients be

infectious diseases. A good student exercise

researchers and scholars.

treated? Discussion could evolve around the

local problem, and ask class teams to deter-

might be to prepare educational materials

Here is still another mashup example that

development of user-created content and the

for patients who are reading these alerts in

offers opportunities for class discussion.

legal, ethical, and social implications of a site

their newspapers and calling in, thinking

According to its website (http://whoissick

where people enter their symptoms. I found

they have the plague. As you can see from

.org/sickness/). Who Is Sick? was created by

this website through Bob Coffield's Health

these examples, maps, various surveillance

a man whose wife became sick while they

Care Law Blog (http://healthcarebloglaw

datasets, and news sources are all combined

were on vacation. After waiting several hours

.blogspot.com/2007/04/health-care-mashup

in novel applications. BioWizard is a service that combines search capabilities with networking capabilities.

Its

website

Suppose you want to introduce your new students to Florence Nightingale. You could have your stydents read an article or a book abou4 her; you coyld

(www.biowizard.com)

describes it as an easy way "to find and discuss the most relevant medical and scientific

have them visit the Florence Nightingale IMluseum online; or you could have them interact with a mashup. ©me mashup might use Google Maps to trace

literature. In addition, BioWizard offers an array of tools and features, including PubMed search capability, a comprehensive products search, the latest scientific news, the table of contents from major journals, and blogs from some of the most prominent minds in science and medicine today." Although the content

Nightingale's work in the Crimean War. Another might show a picture gallery of Nightingale with her work displayed on a map of London while music from the Victorian period plays in the background. It sounds great, doesn't it?

But, you ask, who has the time and the programming experience to create such scenarios for a class?

and groups in this particular mashup may be less relevant to nursing students, think about the potential of using a similar system for evi-

in the emergency department, the couple was

dence-based practice (EBP).

-who-is-sick.html).

told that a stomach virus was circulating in

Here is a great example of a mashup that

Imagine using the NCBI Entrez (PubMed)

the community. If the wife still felt sick after

could be used in a health policy class or for a

API and then connecting it to another API for

24 hours, they should return to the ED. Now,

discussion on social justice and health care.

discussions where students have journal

using the power of Web 2.0 tools and user-

Healthcarethatworks (see www.healthcare

clubs about evidence they find in their search

created content, you can look up who is sick

thatworks.org/maps/nyc/) is a Google Maps

strategies. Imagine that the nursing students

in the local area and examine the analytic

mashup designed to visually illustrate the

recommend those articles that are most rele-

data presented. To leam more about how to

economic and racial disparities that exist in

vant and contain appropriate evidence for a

use the site, check out the instructions by

New York City's health care system and pro-

variety of topics. Imagine connecting this

clicking on How to Use the Site. The instruc-

vide a way for New Yorkers to take action by

research search tool to a social network

tions will tell you how to post, search, dis-

emailing their elected officials. This tool

where graduate students who are studying

cuss, and view the analytics. Again, this

extracts city hospital closures between 1985

certain concepts and phenomena can meet

mashup was created using a variety of tools,

and 2005 from an existing public database

and discuss research, share publications,

including mapping, discussion forums, and

and maps these markers (aka pushpins)

and interact with each other. Biowizard

charting for the analytics.

throughout the five boroughs. An overlay

allows researchers to create their own per-

While the data from Who Is Sick? may not

indicates the racial and economic status of

sonal profiles, share their publications, join

be officially sanctioned, you could use it for

the neighborhoods, creating an interactive

research groups, collaborate in interactive

certain exercises. For example, a faculty

visualization. With this visualization, it is

forums, and even do live chat. It would pro-

member could explore this site, identify a

easy to see that hospital closures occurred September / Oetober 2007 Vol.28 No.5

287

Emerging Technologies C disproportionately in poorer and more diverse neighborhoods. One can

lectual property, copyright, and plagiarism within this new world of

even look at this phenomenon across different times and see how

mashups. As Brock Read states in the Chronicle of Higher Education

neighborhoods changed over the years from 1985 to 2005. There is

newsletter. Lamb "makes a strong case that professors ought to take

also a forum and a wealth of resources specifically targeted to the city

mashups seriously. That does not mean every educator should

health care delivery systems. What an excellent way to talk about

painstakingly edit Disney films into a treatise on copyright, but it does

health disparities in a classroom and visualize their impact. Think

mean that professors should learn about data mashups and strive to

about what you could do in your own local community to create such a

make course content open and remixable" (5).

site. Are local or state data available that you could combine and plot on maps to indicate similar situations?

Getting Started

Before proceeding, I recommend reading Edu-

My final example is a health care delivery example from Intel's

eause Conncct's "7 Things You Should Know About Mapping

Proactive Health Strategic Research Project. This research program

Mashups" (4). I would then visit certain websites. Eor example. Pro-

builds on the aging-in-place concept, examining how technology can

grammable Web (www.programmableweb.com/) allows you to see

help seniors take better care of their health and remain in their homes.

mashups, including award winners, and search for specific mashups

One mashup developed by the program uses global positioning system

under Education and Medieal. You can learn to create a mashup at

technology and the Google Earth online mapping system to help home-

http://mashupawards.eom/create/. And you can listen to a podsnap

bound elderly locate nearby seniors who still drive and may be avail-

about mashups at http://podcast.hill-vt.com/podsnacks/mashup.mp3.

able to help them with errands. There are endless possibilities to cre-

Next, I would take a baby step, combining a PowerPoint presen-

ate other such mashups to help seniors.

tation with a podcast or with some freely available music. This is an easy application for beginners. You will need a PowerPoint file, an

Before getting started, you will want to

mp2 file (podcast), and perhaps some free music. Then follow simple

think about why you are creating your mashup and its value to your

video or text instructions to synchronize the podcast/musie to your

learners. As I see it, mashups offer several benefits. 1) You can engage

slide show. You can create this slideeast in a relatively short period

the learner and create interactive learning activities for individual or

of time, and your students will marvel at your technological prowess.

team use on the web or for the classroom. Imagine using these interac-

Go to www.slideshare.net/faqs/slidecast and have your first mashup

tive cases and assignments in a large classroom and having students

experience.

Things to Think About

use clickers to vote on next steps, possible solutions, or the correct

Finally, if you want to spend some quality time with your teenagers,

nursing interventions. 2) Mashups are good visualization tools that

take them with you to Mashup Camp (www.mashupcamp.com/). The

allow learners to better understand data, relationships between dis-

next one is at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, in September, and

parate data sources, and spatial relationships. 3) Mashups will appeal

there are others throughout the year.

to the net generation, which is accustomed to visual learning. 4) As a faculty member, you will easily be able to create a more dynamic learn-

As always, send me an email, [email protected], and let me know about your creative new mashups. LllJ

ing environment for your students. 5) Your students will soon be submitting mashups as part of their assignments and papers. Even with these benefits, it is important to consider new challenges

References 1. Lamb, B. (2007). Dr. Mashup; or, why educators should learn to stop worrying

that might result from using mashups in higher education. As Lamb

and love the remix. Educause Review, 42(4), 12-15.

points out, "For educators and policy makers, already struggling with

2. Cho,A. (2007).An introduction to mashups for health librarians.yourno/ of

the many cultural and logistical challenges posed by digital tech-

Canadian Health Ubrarians Assodation, 28(1), 19-22.

nologies, mashups complicate the picture even while offering

3. Berlind, D. (2006, January 27). Mashup ecosystem poised to explode [Blog

tremendous promise" (1, p. 14). Lamb poses three important ques-

posting]. [Online].Available: http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=2484.

tions that you should consider: 1) What exactly constitutes a valid

4. Educause Learning Initiative. (2006). 7 things you should know about mapping

original work? 2) What are the implications for how we assess and reward creativity? 3) What are the risks of permitting and opening up to this activity? I highly recommend reading Lamb's article for his views on intel-

288 Nursing Education Perspectives

mashups. [Online]. Available: http://connect.educause.edu/library/ abstract/7ThingsYouShouldKnow/39393. 5. Read, B. (2007, ]uly 27).The classroom, remixed. Chronicle of Higher Education, Wired Campus. [Online]. Available: http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/ article/2258/the-classroom-remixed.