A Model for Faculty Teaching Online: Confirmation of a Dimensional Matrix

The academic experiences of transitioning to blended online and digital nursing curriculum

BACKGROUND

The blended online digital (BOLD) approach to teaching is popular within many universities. However, much of the research conducted in this area focusses on the student perspective. Aim The aim of this study is to explore the experiences and perspectives of academics involved in the development and implementation of an inaugural BOLD Bachelor of Nursing curriculum at a regional multi-campus institution in Victoria, Australia.

METHODS

Eleven academics across two regional campuses participated in one of five focus groups. Creswell's (2003) six step approach to thematic analysis was used to analyse the semi-structured interview data in order to capture the meaning of the transition experience.

FINDINGS

Three significant themes emerged from the focus group data: 'Get Ready', 'Get Set', and 'Go'.

DISCUSSION

Three significant themes emerged, 'Get Ready', embodies insight from academic staff preparing to make the transition to a BOLD delivery model acknowledging the need for staff to be genuinely prepared, educated, guided and supported to understand the pedagogy of BOLD. Secondly, 'Get Set', acknowledges the period immediately after the preparatory phase and preparedness of academic staff to manage content and delivery for both face-to-face and online student cohorts within the learning platform. Thirdly, the theme 'Go' recognises the culmination of the previous two phases and is a recognition of the need for ongoing evaluation across the implementation phase.

CONCLUSION

This qualitative exploration of nursing academics' experience contributes to contemporary pedagogical insights in relation to the blended approaches to teaching and learning.

Twelve tips for academic role and institutional change in distance learning

BACKGROUND

With the uptake of distance learning (DL), which has been marginal for most clinical academics, teaching contexts, traditional power structures and relationships have changed, leaving lecturers potentially disenfranchised. DL has caused a distinct change in academic roles, but academic and institutional routines have remained unchanged. Information surrounding the changes is confusing and lacks clear guidance.

AIM

To provide a pragmatic outline of roles, responsibilities, obstacles and solutions for clinical academics involved in DL.

METHOD

A two-year action research project was carried out examining the academic role when developing and delivering a 20 credit post graduate DL module in Clinical Education at Newcastle University. It entailed three strands which were "active" for two weeks at a time in which all activities had to be completed. Sixteen students participated in the module consisting of independent activities, facilitated discussion forums, wikis, required reading, individual and group tasks. Pedagogically, it was based on heavily on Garrison's (2012) and Salmon's (2008) work on constructivism and online communities.

RESULTS

Institutions need a clear plan and a change of culture. Roles have emerged including: administrator, manager, team leader knowledge expert, moderator and facilitator.

CONCLUSIONS

Universities struggle to engage staff with DL due to its unrecognised and (many academics believe) unsustainable workload. These 12 tips provide academics and managers involved in clinical education with clear guidance surrounding strategies that inform practice. New roles have emerged, work habits must be revolutionised and changes in routine must be addressed.

Assessment of simulated clinical skills and distance students: can we do it better?

Australian universities have traditionally been able to supplement clinical education, for undergraduate nursing courses, delivered on placement with weekly clinical teaching in the simulated environment. The Objective Structured Clinical Assessment (OSCA) tool has been used in this simulated environment to assess clinical skills. Recently, however, online delivery of undergraduate nursing courses has become more common. The move from an internal mode of teaching to an online external mode is seen worldwide and poses challenges to staff and students as well as changing the teaching and learning culture of institutions (Philip and Wozniak, 2009). This cultural shift and the resulting diminishing timeframe for students to acquire and practice simulated clinical skills imply that it may become necessary to rethink assessment forms such as the OSCA assessment. This study examines whether or not the OSCA tool developed by Bujack et al. (1991a) is the best tool to be used in this new context, where online teaching is supplemented by very short, annual, intensive periods of study. Skills acquisition theories dictate that time is required to produce an ideal skills acquisition environment (Quinn, 2000) but the time constraints placed on students in such intensive periods of study could influence skills acquisition. This cross-sectional qualitative study used semi-structured interviews and focus groups to collect data. 65% of the nursing faculty participated in the study. The teaching of the Bachelor of Nursing (BN) occurred on two campuses and staff from both areas participated. This group of nurse academics was employed across the range of academic levels (from lecturer to professor) at the University. Data analysis followed a generic thematic analysis framework. Findings in this study show that there are a variety of attitudes and underpinning beliefs amongst staff in relation to the OSCAs. Doubts were raised in regard to the suitability of the use of the OSCA tool in this setting. It also became apparent during this study that the OSCA tool possibly serves purposes other than an assessment tool.

A critical examination of the time and workload involved in the design and delivery of an e-module in postgraduate clinical education

BACKGROUND

Although there is increasing pressure on Universities to implement e-learning, this 'glorious revolution' has been met with disappointing results and universities have struggled to engage academic staff, who are major stakeholders, with its use. Although literature suggests online teaching adds to traditional faculty workload, information surrounding the actual 'cost' to individuals is sparse. For academics involved in postgraduate clinical education, it is even more incomplete. Involvement can be a risky undertaking for academics unfamiliar with the resources required.

AIMS

This study outlines staff resources required to create an e-module for busy, practicing clinicians.

METHOD

Data (web analytics, email traffic, and work logs) was collected and statistical analysis performed outlining time involved, work patterns and responsibilities.

RESULTS

Data analysis revealed 75% of academic time occurred out of normal office hours. Sixteen total staff hours (12 planning and four delivery) were required to support one hour student online activity. Technical responsibilities were essential throughout, but unpredictable.

CONCLUSIONS

Universities struggle to engage staff with e-learning due to its unrecognized and (many academics believe) unsustainable workload. Avoiding 'traditional' workload assumptions that are inaccurate, this study provides academics and managers involved in clinical education clear guidance and an increased understanding of workload with a goal to inform practice.

Perceptions of distance education among nursing faculty members in North America

A strategy to increase access to nursing education, train nurses for practice, and prepare future nurse educators is distance education. Faculty member shortages are cited as the main reason for not accepting qualified applicants. Faculty members are the core of nursing education. In order to address nursing faculty members' concerns regarding distance education and to assist in faculty member recruitment, retention, growth, and development in order to improve and enhance the quality of distance education, one must answer the question: What are nursing faculty members' perceptions of distance education in nursing? Utilizing a number of databases to locate research specific to this topic, this article provides an integrative review of the nursing literature to ascertain the faculty members' perspective of distance education. The research was analyzed, findings summarized, and limitations mentioned. Utilizing a brief supplementary review of the literature, the implications, recommendations, and need for future research are discussed.

Is nursing ready for WebQuests?

Based on an inquiry-oriented framework, WebQuests facilitate the construction of effective learning activities. Developed by Bernie Dodge and Tom March in 1995 at the San Diego State University, WebQuests have gained worldwide popularity among educators in the kindergarten through grade 12 educational sector. However, their application at the college and university levels is not well documented. WebQuests enhance and promote higher order-thinking skills, are consistent with Bloom's Taxonomy, and reflect a learner-centered instructional methodology (constructivism). They are based on solid theoretical foundations and promote critical thinking, inquiry, and problem solving. There is a role for WebQuests in nursing education. A WebQuest example is described in this article.

Attitudes of faculty members toward teaching online courses: view from dissonance theory

Based upon the perspective of external justification in dissonance theory, a survey was conducted to identify possible predictors of faculty members' attitudes toward teaching online courses. The predictors of satisfaction with reward, effort, and personal freedom were positively correlated with participants' attitudes after teaching online courses but commitment and responsibility were not. These accounted for very little variance. The practical implications for motivating college teachers not initially interested in online courses are discussed in the context of dissonance theory.

Using cognitive dissonance to enhance faculty members' attitudes toward teaching online courses

Adopting a reward strategy for inducing college faculty to teach online courses is expected to cause a positive shift of their attitudes. Based upon dissonance theory, a smaller reward will lead to greater attitude change, and this effect will be more pronounced in individualists. The results of an experimental study showed that individualist teachers exhibited greater attitude change under low reward than under high reward, but the reward effect was not prominent in collectivist teachers. Implications for enhancing college teachers' attitudes toward teaching online courses are discussed.