Conceptualisations of open educational practices (OEP) vary widely, ranging from those centred primarily on the creation and use of open educational resources (OER) to broader definitions of OEP, inclusive of but not necessarily focused on OER. The latter, referred to in this paper as expansive definitions of OEP, encompass open content but also allow for multiple entry points to, and avenues of, openness. This paper explores the theoretical and empirical literature to outline how the concept of OEP has evolved historically. The paper aims to provide a useful synthesis of OEP literature for education researchers and practitioners.

Whilst much of the rhetoric of current educational policy champions creativity and innovation, structural reforms and new management practices in higher education run counter to the known conditions under which creativity flourishes. As a review of recent literature suggests, surveillance, performativity, the end of tenure and rising levels of workplace stress are all closing off the space for real creative endeavour, characterised as it is by risk-taking, collaborative exploration and autonomy. Innovation, as conceived in this policy context, is narrow in scope and leaves little room for critical re-examination of the nature of education itself or radical reconceptions of curriculum, raising the question as to whether such are more likely to arise extra mural, from new forms of organisation.

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Background Clinical psychomotor skills training is a core component of undergraduate nursing education. Performing technical skills competently involves the use of cognitive and motor function. The training of these technical skills is typically carried out in clinical simulation laboratories. Peripheral intravenous catheter/cannula insertion is an example of a technical skill. It is the most common invasive procedure performed in the healthcare environment. Owing to unacceptable clinical risk and complications to patients, it is imperative that practitioners performing these skills are trained effectively to provide patients with best practice and high-quality care. Technologies identified as innovative teaching methods to help train students in this skill and in the skill of venepuncture include virtual reality, hypermedia and simulators. However, little high-quality evidence exists to confirm such educational approaches are effective. Methods/design This study is a single-centre, non-blinded, two-group, pre-test and post-test randomised control trial. The randomised control trial will investigate whether a formal structured self-evaluation of videoed performance (experimental group) has an impact on nursing students’ peripheral intravenous cannulation knowledge, performance and confidence. The control group will also be videoed performing the skill but they will not view or self-evaluate their videoed performance. The peripheral intravenous cannulation procedures will be carried out in a clinical simulation laboratory using a task trainer. The data collection tools will be completed online using survey forms. Students will be randomised into the experimental group or into the control group using simple random sampling. The primary outcome measures the nursing students’ knowledge level of the skill of peripheral intravenous cannulation insertion. Secondary outcomes evaluate procedural competence and self-reported confidence and practices in the clinical environment. Discussion This randomised control trial will investigate whether this pedagogical approach, using video modelling and self-evaluation, will positively influence students’ knowledge, confidence and performance in the skill of peripheral intravenous cannulation. Evaluating such teaching strategies using stringent methodologies may be impactful in influencing the training provided to healthcare practitioners. Trial registration The randomised control trial detailed in this article is an educational research study and so does not fall under the ICMJE definition of a clinical trial as “any research project that prospectively assigns people or a group of people to an intervention, with or without concurrent comparison or control groups, to study the relationship between a health-related intervention and a health outcome”.

Technology has become integral to our personal and professional lives. Its use is increasing in healthcare, both in clinical and educational settings, with healthcare institutions and regulatory bodies recognizing that technology is ever-present. The aim of this scoping review was to examine and quantify the current evidence concerning the use of educational technologies in undergraduate and postgraduate nursing and midwifery education. This review was guided by the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. A tailored search strategy was developed with a research librarian and a number of databases were searched. A total of 19 638 literature sources were screened by three reviewers. Literature published from January 2016 to December 2020 was included and limited to the English language. The reporting of the review process is guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses for Scoping Reviews checklist. This review provides an overview of the current use of educational technologies within nursing and midwifery education; it provides a list of the technologies used, the research methodologies and designs undertaken, and the educational theories, models or frameworks considered. The review highlights the wide range of technologies in use and the paucity of studies that are guided by an educational theory, model or framework.