Impacts of social influence, social media usage, and classmate connections on Moroccan nursing students’ ICT using intention

Abstract

Background

In clinical internships, collaborative self-directed learning is highly encouraged among nursing students. Integrating the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in clinical learning is necessary in the age of digitalization.

Aim

This study examines whether the daily duration of ICT use and the number of classmates being friends on social media moderates the association between social influence and ICT-using intention among Moroccan nursing students.

Methods

The Bayesian Mindsponge Framework, combining the reasoning strengths of Mindsponge Theory and inference advantages of Bayesian analysis, was employed on a dataset of 702 students.

Results

Findings showed that social influence was positively associated with nursing students’ intention to use ICT in clinical internships. This positive association was positively moderated by the daily duration of ICT use and negatively moderated by the number of classmates being friends on social media.

Conclusions

Findings underscore the potential of using social media platforms to facilitate ICT integration in nursing education and training. However, the adverse effects of social media usage on students’ mental well-being need to be acknowledged and managed appropriately.