One of the thirty-two trends affecting distance education is academic emphasis is shifting from course-completion to competency (Howell et al., 2003). This is a trend which is relating to the strategy of moving towards accountability. It is a shift from the seat-based time and theoretical to employer-based or outcomes-based competency. According to this trend, it has found out that diplomas are becoming less useful to employers but what matters to them most are performances, skills and knowledge (Howell et al., 2003). Thus, higher education levels with adequate course content emphasize on the competencies that are in need in the real world practice.
This trend will affect the nursing education in a positive manner because currently there are better patient safety outcomes in hospitals units that are run by BSN-prepared nurses than those hospitals units where the majority of the nursing workforce is AND-prepared nurses (Pellegrino & Hilton, 2013). This has called for an urgent need to reexamine the curriculum of education to be streamlined with that of the 21st-century education system. The nursing education is calling for a shift from the tradition education which was just aimed at acute care. Hence, the nursing education is seeking to encompass in the curriculum issues to do with improved decision-making skills, research, evidence-based practice, health policy, team leadership, quality improvement competencies and system thinking. Furthermore, the nursing is seeking to adopt a continued lifelong learning system that will enable nurses to enroll in a seamless transition from lower nursing education programs to higher degree program (Marín, 2016). This program will facilitate the transition from AND-to-BSN and from BSN-to-MSN which will enhance safe and high-quality health care delivery. The thirty-trend affecting distance education is still valid and viable with respect to the current realities and the future projections; hence, there is no need to alter it.
References
Howell, S. L., Williams, P. B., & Lindsay, N. K. (2003). Thirty-two Trends Affecting Distance Education: An Informed Foundation for Strategic Plannning. Retrieved from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall63/howell63.html
Marín, V. I., Jääskelä, P., Häkkinen, P., Juntunen, M., Rasku-Puttonen, H., & Vesisenaho, M. (2016). Seamless Learning Environments in Higher Education with Mobile Devices and Examples. International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning (IJMBL), 8(1), 51-68.
Pellegrino, J. W., & Hilton, M. L. (Eds.). (2013). Education for life and work: Developing transferable knowledge and skills in the 21st century. National Academies Press.
