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If you believe that technology is a distraction and not a way to enhance educational practices, you're probably not using it correctly.

When we were kids, did we leave school every day thinking that we had to go home and do research. Homework was something that got in the way of our play. We wanted to go outside and play games or stay inside and play video games. As we grew older we wanted to connect with our friends by playing sports or talking on the phone. Suddenly, we became adults and expect all students to want to go home and do research.

Our job as educators is to build a bridge between what they use it for and what we want them to use it for.

With the incorporation of nursing informatics into the curriculum, faculty must be creative in devising methods that include a global perspective on the use of available resources. Added to this changing dynamic is the lack of clinical space for students, while at the same time, nursing professors are being challenged to develop new methods for providing real-life clinical experiences for students.

Most students have a desire to expand their universe and use virtual learning.

Baker, Wentz, and Woods (2009) investigated the use of SL using a qualitative method with a cohort of students (n = 9) in a psychology class. Results showed that students were generally positive about the experience. Considerations for further implementation would include the fact that these students mentioned convenience of attending class in SL, having the text version of the lecture available, and being able to interact with the instructor and other students in real time. Barriers included a slow response time from their computers, needing time to practice navigating and using the tools in SL, and technical difficulties. Research in this area remains scant and it is an area which needs active investigation.