McIntyre, M., McDonald, C., & Racine, L. (2013). A Critical Analysis of Online Nursing Education: Balancing Optimistic and Cautionary Perspectives. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 45(1), 36–53. Retrieved from http://file:///C:/Users/Customer/ Downloads /A%20Critical%20Analysis%20Online%20Nursing%20 Education%20(1).pdf
As populations of nursing students become more distributed, the ability to teach is increasingly relying on technology through the development of online nursing education. Learning institutions incorporate the nontraditional method in order to remain competitive, accessing students residing outside urban cities. E-learning programs use computers to obtain materials and to interact with the instructor and other students online. Nursing skills continue to require physical participation, but many classes have the ability to be learned electronically. E-learning also allows learning and teaching to take place at times apart from each other.
Benefits of online nursing programs include being able to increase the size of the class without the need for additional physical space, promoting interaction with a much wider range of students, enhancement of technological skills, and development of communication skills without reliance on nuance or physical expressions. A major attraction to online education is the flexibility to select the time best suited for each student for class participation. Some students enter the class in the middle of the night while others interact during daytime or weekend hours. There was mention that time-management skills improved and a recognition of electronic interaction problems allowed for future needed skills after graduation.
The Canadian Journal of Nursing Research (CJNR) is a magazine distributed by Sage Publications and accepts research from all countries. Although the partnership with Sage only began in 2016, the magazine has been distributing articles for 47 years (McGill.ca, 2016). The authors are Majorie McIntyre and Carolyn McDonald, Associate Professors at the School of Nursing at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada and Louise Racine, Associate Professor at the College of Nursing at the University of Saskatchewan; all three women are registered nurses holding PhD degrees (McIntyre, McDonald, & Racine, 2013). It appears to be a reliable source, without prejudiced or bias. The source has scholarly information for a future nurse educator and potential online students while addressing popular topics such as student diversity and social needs of the individual. The research question dealt primarily with the influence of peer dynamics, but the topic is actually much broader. The individual psychology of the student requires attention to different needs for online education. While some students have no problems managing their time or require little or no interaction from other students, other online participants need reliable and frequent input on a timely basis.
As I read the article concerning online learning for nurses, I realized that the information heavily impacted my conception of my role as a nurse educator. Online learning requires different communication skills than those cultivated in live interactions heavily influenced by verbal skills such as tone of voice and body language demonstrated through hand movements and facial expressions. This insight impressed on my how important my own communication is in translating knowledge to students, and also how my interpretation of their communications must be carefully formulated in anticipation of their developing skills. In this age of technology, the ability to utilize online transfer of information across distance to adapt to the needs of students is a major asset to educators. Despite this, instructors have a responsibility to be cognizant of how different teaching electronically is from teaching in a traditional classroom environment.
Reference
McGill.ca. (2016). Home Page | CJNR - McGill University. Mcgill.ca. Retrieved 6 June 2016, from https://www.mcgill.ca/cjnr/home
McIntyre, M., McDonald, C., & Racine, L. (2013). A Critical Analysis of Online Nursing Education: Balancing Optimistic and Cautionary Perspectives. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 45(1), 36–53. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23789526
