The educational role of the worldwide web has been cast in a new light by the emergence of so-called ‘web 2.0’ technologies and, in particular, ‘social software’ where users are connected to and collaborate with each other in a variety of group interactions (Shirky 2003). Current research indicates that social networking has the potential to bring individuals together into new relationships and friendships, into new communicative flows, and even perhaps into communities of their choosing. Can social networking tools, integrated into the requirements and learning objectives of a course, offer some benefits towards meeting the needs of students? The average Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis student experience can vary greatly when compared to campus life at a traditional, four-year residency college or university because the student body is comprised of an assorted group of learners: commuting students, older adult students, online students, on-campus students, and first-generation college students. These students come from a range of diverse backgrounds. Using N100: Introduction to Digital Media Principles as my primary case study, I assess the implementation and development of social media tools, specifically the use of a closed Ning network, in this diverse college classroom environment. This paper evaluates the use of social networking tools to enhance student learning and improve student engagement as well as comparing social networking software to other types of learning managements systems such as Indiana University’s Oncourse CL.

O desenvolvimento desta pesquisa focalizou o processo de trabalho na formação profissional do enfermeiro, visualizada pelos professores do Curso de Graduação em Enfermagem de uma Universidade Pública Federal do Município de São Paulo. O estudo teve como objetivos: identificar no Projeto Pedagógico do Curso (PPC) de Graduação em Enfermagem da UNIFESP os processos de trabalho na formação do graduando de enfermagem; verificar quais processos de trabalho do enfermeiro são focados com maior ênfase na formação profissional na perspectiva dos professores e subsidiar na elaboração do Projeto Pedagógico do Curso por meio de propostas apresentadas pelos professores, sujeitos da pesquisa. Para isso, optou-se pela metodologia de pesquisa-ação por conceber uma ampla e explícita interação entre o pesquisador e as pessoas envolvidas na situação investigada, cujo objetivo foi resolver ou esclarecer os problemas da situação observada, o que pressupõe um aumento do conhecimento e do \"nível de consciência\" das pessoas ligadas à situação, bem como o aumento do conhecimento do próprio pesquisador. Na fase diagnóstica analisou-se o PPC, que explorou e identificou por meio dos objetivos gerais do Curso, das séries e das Disciplinas, os processos de trabalho do enfermeiro que foram estudados na fase de ação, cuja técnica de coleta de dados utilizou o Grupo Focal (GF), que contou com a participação de 15 professores em cinco encontros. O observador foi uma psicóloga organizacional de um hospital de ensino. Os resultados mostraram que os objetivos gerais do PPC contemplaram os processos de trabalho cuidar, administrar, educar e pesquisar. O processo de trabalho cuidar foi o mais enfatizado tanto nos objetivos gerais como nos objetivos das séries e o processo de trabalho administrar foi mais relevante nas duas últimas séries. O processo de trabalho educar e pesquisar não foram evidenciados. O GF apontou que a essência do processo de trabalho na formação do enfermeiro foi o cuidar, nas competências do aprender a conhecer e a fazer na dimensão técnico-científica. Os processos de trabalho administrar e educar e pesquisar não foram relevantes para os sujeitos e foram considerados meios para o processo de trabalho do enfermeiro cuidar. O pesquisar foi um pouco mais discutido no GF e evidenciou a necessidade do graduando consumir pesquisa durante a formação para desenvolver a crítica e a reflexão sobre a prática profissional. E ainda destacaram alguns nós no processo ensino-aprendizagem, que na maioria das vezes, consideraram que o trabalho dos professores e das Disciplinas pouco integrado e leva os graduandos a terem uma visão fragmentada do processo de trabalho, especialmente o cuidar, na formação do enfermeiro. Os sujeitos do GF propuseram criar espaços de discussões a respeito da formação do enfermeiro na vertente do processo de trabalho e as competências da aprendizagem para subsidiar a reconstrução do PPC mais integrada e assegurar a qualificação do ensino aos graduandos / This study focused on the relationship between undergraduate nursing education and nurses\' work processes, as viewed by the faculty of an undergraduate nursing program of a Federal public university of the district of São Paulo. The objectives of the study were: 1) to identify the nurses\' work processes listed in the undergraduate pedagogical educational planning (Projeto Pedagogico do Curso [PPC]) of the São Paulo Federal University (Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP); and, 2) to determine which of the nurses\' work processes listed in the PPC were emphasized by faculty and subsidized the development of the PPC of the UNIFESP. To that end, action-research methodology guided the design and conduct of this study. This methodology was chosen because it allows explicit interactions between the researcher and the people involved in a specific situation. It is useful to clarify or solve identified issues, which in turn may lead to an increase in knowledge and awareness levels of those people involved in the situation as well lead to increase in knowledge among researchers. In the diagnosis phase, the PPC was analyzed by exploring its general objectives, objectives of each program level, and objectives of specific disciplines, to determine the presence of nurses\' work processes identified during the study\'s action phase. The action phase used a focus group approach to collect data from 15 faculty members during 5 meetings. An organizational psychologist from a teaching hospital moderated all focus group meetings. The results of the analysis of the diagnosis phase suggested that the general objectives listed in the PPC address nurse\'s work processes regarding nursing care, nursing management, nursing education, and nursing research. Nursing care was the most emphasized nurses\' work process on the general objectives and on the objectives of each program level and specific disciplines. Nursing management was most relevant on the objectives of the program levels in last two years of the undergraduate nursing program. There was no evidence that nursing education and research were relevant or emphasized on the objectives of each program levels or specific discipline of the undergraduate nursing program. The findings from the focus group discussions pointed out that nursing care was the most fundamental nurses\' work process that guides undergraduate nursing education. Regarding the technical and scientific domains, the emphasis is placed on the students\' competencies to learn, to gain knowledge, and to acquire skills to provide nursing care. The nurses\' work process regarding management, education, and research were not considered to relevant to undergraduate nursing education by faculty members. These processes are viewed as resources nurses use to provide nursing care. The nurses\' work process regarding research was further discussed during the focus groups; and, there was a consensus that there is a need of undergraduate nursing students to consume research findings to enhance their critical thinking regarding nursing practice. In addition, issues emerged related to the teaching-learning process; there is little integration among the various nursing disciplines, which lead students to perceive a fragmented undergraduate nursing education, especially concerning their preparation to provide nursing care. Faculty members, who were included as participants of the focus groups, expressed willingness to participate in discussion forums regarding nurses\' work processes and competencies to advance the development and implementation of PPC that guarantee a quality undergraduate nursing education

O desenvolvimento desta pesquisa focalizou o processo de trabalho na formação profissional do enfermeiro, visualizada pelos professores do Curso de Graduação em Enfermagem de uma Universidade Pública Federal do Município de São Paulo. O estudo teve como objetivos: identificar no Projeto Pedagógico do Curso (PPC) de Graduação em Enfermagem da UNIFESP os processos de trabalho na formação do graduando de enfermagem; verificar quais processos de trabalho do enfermeiro são focados com maior ênfase na formação profissional na perspectiva dos professores e subsidiar na elaboração do Projeto Pedagógico do Curso por meio de propostas apresentadas pelos professores, sujeitos da pesquisa. Para isso, optou-se pela metodologia de pesquisa-ação por conceber uma ampla e explícita interação entre o pesquisador e as pessoas envolvidas na situação investigada, cujo objetivo foi resolver ou esclarecer os problemas da situação observada, o que pressupõe um aumento do conhecimento e do \"nível de consciência\" das pessoas ligadas à situação, bem como o aumento do conhecimento do próprio pesquisador. Na fase diagnóstica analisou-se o PPC, que explorou e identificou por meio dos objetivos gerais do Curso, das séries e das Disciplinas, os processos de trabalho do enfermeiro que foram estudados na fase de ação, cuja técnica de coleta de dados utilizou o Grupo Focal (GF), que contou com a participação de 15 professores em cinco encontros. O observador foi uma psicóloga organizacional de um hospital de ensino. Os resultados mostraram que os objetivos gerais do PPC contemplaram os processos de trabalho cuidar, administrar, educar e pesquisar. O processo de trabalho cuidar foi o mais enfatizado tanto nos objetivos gerais como nos objetivos das séries e o processo de trabalho administrar foi mais relevante nas duas últimas séries. O processo de trabalho educar e pesquisar não foram evidenciados. O GF apontou que a essência do processo de trabalho na formação do enfermeiro foi o cuidar, nas competências do aprender a conhecer e a fazer na dimensão técnico-científica. Os processos de trabalho administrar e educar e pesquisar não foram relevantes para os sujeitos e foram considerados meios para o processo de trabalho do enfermeiro cuidar. O pesquisar foi um pouco mais discutido no GF e evidenciou a necessidade do graduando consumir pesquisa durante a formação para desenvolver a crítica e a reflexão sobre a prática profissional. E ainda destacaram alguns nós no processo ensino-aprendizagem, que na maioria das vezes, consideraram que o trabalho dos professores e das Disciplinas pouco integrado e leva os graduandos a terem uma visão fragmentada do processo de trabalho, especialmente o cuidar, na formação do enfermeiro. Os sujeitos do GF propuseram criar espaços de discussões a respeito da formação do enfermeiro na vertente do processo de trabalho e as competências da aprendizagem para subsidiar a reconstrução do PPC mais integrada e assegurar a qualificação do ensino aos graduandos / This study focused on the relationship between undergraduate nursing education and nurses\' work processes, as viewed by the faculty of an undergraduate nursing program of a Federal public university of the district of São Paulo. The objectives of the study were: 1) to identify the nurses\' work processes listed in the undergraduate pedagogical educational planning (Projeto Pedagogico do Curso [PPC]) of the São Paulo Federal University (Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP); and, 2) to determine which of the nurses\' work processes listed in the PPC were emphasized by faculty and subsidized the development of the PPC of the UNIFESP. To that end, action-research methodology guided the design and conduct of this study. This methodology was chosen because it allows explicit interactions between the researcher and the people involved in a specific situation. It is useful to clarify or solve identified issues, which in turn may lead to an increase in knowledge and awareness levels of those people involved in the situation as well lead to increase in knowledge among researchers. In the diagnosis phase, the PPC was analyzed by exploring its general objectives, objectives of each program level, and objectives of specific disciplines, to determine the presence of nurses\' work processes identified during the study\'s action phase. The action phase used a focus group approach to collect data from 15 faculty members during 5 meetings. An organizational psychologist from a teaching hospital moderated all focus group meetings. The results of the analysis of the diagnosis phase suggested that the general objectives listed in the PPC address nurse\'s work processes regarding nursing care, nursing management, nursing education, and nursing research. Nursing care was the most emphasized nurses\' work process on the general objectives and on the objectives of each program level and specific disciplines. Nursing management was most relevant on the objectives of the program levels in last two years of the undergraduate nursing program. There was no evidence that nursing education and research were relevant or emphasized on the objectives of each program levels or specific discipline of the undergraduate nursing program. The findings from the focus group discussions pointed out that nursing care was the most fundamental nurses\' work process that guides undergraduate nursing education. Regarding the technical and scientific domains, the emphasis is placed on the students\' competencies to learn, to gain knowledge, and to acquire skills to provide nursing care. The nurses\' work process regarding management, education, and research were not considered to relevant to undergraduate nursing education by faculty members. These processes are viewed as resources nurses use to provide nursing care. The nurses\' work process regarding research was further discussed during the focus groups; and, there was a consensus that there is a need of undergraduate nursing students to consume research findings to enhance their critical thinking regarding nursing practice. In addition, issues emerged related to the teaching-learning process; there is little integration among the various nursing disciplines, which lead students to perceive a fragmented undergraduate nursing education, especially concerning their preparation to provide nursing care. Faculty members, who were included as participants of the focus groups, expressed willingness to participate in discussion forums regarding nurses\' work processes and competencies to advance the development and implementation of PPC that guarantee a quality undergraduate nursing education