Implementing technology to support clinical skill development — is there a right way? An evaluation study of a unique skills website to support skill acquisition

This study evaluates the implementation and impact of the ‘Skills for Practice’ website, a technology-enhanced learning platform developed at Northumbria University to support clinical skill acquisition among healthcare students. Designed as a supplementary resource to face-to-face instruction, the website offers multimedia content — including videos, podcasts and posters — structured to deconstruct clinical procedures in a step-by-step format. A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was employed, combining quantitative survey data (n = 136) with qualitative interviews (n = 4), to explore student engagement, usage patterns and perceptions of the platform’s effectiveness. Findings indicate that students valued the platform’s accessibility, visual quality and variety of resources, with videos identified as the most effective medium for learning psychomotor skills. The website was particularly useful for revision before clinical placements and objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), aligning with flipped classroom and blended learning pedagogies. Two overarching themes emerged from the data: platform (quality, accessibility, variety) and resources (reliability, realism, relevance). Students appreciated the authenticity of the content, which featured familiar staff and real clinical environments, and the reliability of evidence-based materials authored by qualified professionals. The study concludes that the pedagogical value of digital tools lies not in their novelty but in their thoughtful integration into curriculum design. The website’s success demonstrates that when students are given autonomy and their feedback informs content development, engagement and learning outcomes improve. This evaluation contributes to the growing body of literature advocating for student-centred, pedagogically grounded approaches to technology integration in healthcare education. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.