Managing technological change in nurse education.
Steve Wheeler · 1992
responsible for the College's Audio Visual and educational computing Services and has authored several CSL programs. This article is reproduced on the "web " as a service to the health informatics and computing community. Normal conditions of academic copy write still apply. You may make one local electronic copy and one printed copy for personal study only. No other copying is permitted! We are living in a climate of radical change and re-adjustment, the results of which are far reaching, affecting every area of society. The domains of education and nursing are particularly affected by technological change, and many writers have put their views into print. Here is a significant quote from Papert (1980).(1) "We are at the point in the history of education when radical change is possible, and the possibility for that change is directly tied to the impact of the computer. Today what is offered in the educational market is largely determined by what is acceptable to a... conservative system. But this is where the computer... is in the process of creating an environment for change." Seymour Papert's statement suggests that the computer is in the vanguard of change and innovation in education. It is particularly the traditional areas which are being challenged. Perry & Henderson (1981)(2) encapsulated these sentiments when they remarked that "revolutions in science and technology have been basic to the rapid changes in our society". These statements are certainly true when applied to the South West College of Health Studies, where there has been a proliferation of computer systems since their introduction in 1984. Of course, with any change, and in particular with technological change comes a period of uncertainty, upheaval and sometimes even overt resistance. Managing these changes and minimising the adverse effects on individuals is not an easy task. It demands many diverse solutions.