Making learning fun to increase nursing students’ success: Formative feedback in communication learning Samantha Ismaile 1,2 , Fuad Alhosban 3 , and Sana Hawamdeh 1 1. Collage of Nursing, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Saudi Arabia 2. Health Sciences (Nursing) Higher Colleges of Technology, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 3. Information Technology, Khawarizmi International College, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 1014 [AMJ 2017;10(12):1014-1021] RESEARCH Please cite this paper as: Ismaile S, Alhosban F, Hawamdeh S. Making learning fun to increase nursing students’ success: Formative feedback in communication learning. AMJ 2017;10(12):1014–1021. https://doi.org/10.21767/AMJ.2017.3228 Corresponding Author: Samantha Ismaile College of Nursing Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Saudi Arabia Email: samantha.ismaile@ymail.com ABSTRACT Background Communication skills are taught in most Bachelor of Nursing programs; however, student performance is often not monitored or tested until the final exam. Audience Response System (ARS) technology enables the collection of feedback from students during lectures to improve their quality of learning. Aims We assessed the efficacy of ARS technology in promoting the understanding of communication skills among nursing students. Methods Questions were integrated into 14 lectures using the ARS platform Learning Catalytics (LC; Pearson UK, London, UK). Students answered the questions using their own web- enabled mobile devices. One hundred and twenty second- year nursing students participated in this study. Their answers were pooled and prompt formative feedback was provided in the classroom. A questionnaire was distributed to evaluate their perceptions of ARS use. Results All students reported that they enjoyed ARS use: 92 per cent stated that it helped to identify their learning needs and 87 per cent agreed that it promoted the integration of key concepts. The most common theme within the feedback was that of identifying their own learning needs. Repeated questioning produced a significant increase (p<0.05) in students’ knowledge of specific concepts. Conclusion The use of ARS technology to provide prompt feedback promoted teaching and learning among undergraduate nursing students. ARS use enabled the identification of individual learning needs and aided revision before summative exams. It also improved students’ confidence and understanding of key concepts. Moreover, students of different educational levels and learning styles were identified, tracked and given support through the use of ARS technology. Key Words Audience response systems, feedback, higher education, formative assessment, nursing, e-learning What this study adds: 1. What is known about this subject? Audience Response System (ARS) technology enables the collection of formative feedback from students during lectures with the aim of improving their quality of learning. 2. What new information is offered in this study? ARS use enabled the identification of individual learning needs, aided revision before summative exams and improved nursing students’ confidence and understanding of key concepts. Ultimately students found ARS fun and it promoted engagement within lectures.