Using quick response codes to facilitate self-directed learning in a nursing skills laboratory.

Using Quick Response Codes to Facilitate Self-Directed Learning in a Nursing Skills Laboratory Two-dimensional barcodes, called quick response (QR) codes, facilitate student autonomy in the nursing skills laboratory. Rather than wait for the teacher to demonstrate a specifi c skills component, students can activate a QR code, which is embedded in a laminated nursing skills rubrics card, via smartphone or tablet to watch a video skills clip at their point of need and as often as needed. This use of this technology puts learning tasks within the learners’ control and decreases the downtime of students having to wait their turn for a demonstration or handson practice. Assisting nursing students in selfdirected learning is a major goal of the nursing skills laboratory. Through repetitive practice, students have the opportunity to gain expertise in motor skills, providing the ability to integrate them in clinical practice in the future (Oermann et al., 2011). However, some students often need repeat demonstrations of a skills component, whereas others may not. This produces downtime, when students observe others because they do not have the confi dence for active (hands-on) practicing. In addition, downtime may result due to students who are actively practicing but who need to stop to have a question answered or a point clarifi ed. Knowing that self-directed learning takes place when the learning tasks are largely within the learners’ control (Kaufman, 2003), the current authors’ objective was to fi nd a teaching method that would engage students with autonomy in applying technology to already existing nursing skills rubrics.