Category: Online Learning

Teaching Online: What Have We Learned from the Pandemic?

By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN

As the 2021 fall term begins in nursing programs around the country, stopping to reflect upon the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic seems wise. Likely we would all agree that teaching nursing students during a pandemic was as great a challenge as most of us have ever experienced. Turning on a dime, nursing faculty moved fully to online instruction—sometimes even for clinical experiences. Continue reading “Teaching Online: What Have We Learned from the Pandemic?”

Improving Engagement in Synchronous Online Learning

This blog explores the importance of engagement and focuses on some instructional concepts and approaches that can be utilized within a Zoom environment to expand engagement.

By Andrew Bobal, EdD

Today’s instruction in a COVID world is drastically different than it was just twelve months ago. Courses and programs that were never taught online have been thrust into the online world without choice; this is true for instructors as well. One the biggest hurdles with online synchronous Continue reading “Improving Engagement in Synchronous Online Learning”

Developing Clinical Judgment in an Online Environment

By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN

Perhaps the most critical challenge we face is to ensure that our graduates are competent when making clinical judgements appropriate for novice nurses. Developing this competence has always been important—after all, effective clinical judgment is what keeps the clients we serve safe. However, the implementation of the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) in 2023 has brought this need into prominence. At the same time, the pandemic has created the need to deliver more instruction for nursing students in an online format. Let’s look at four principles to help us achieve the outcomes of developing novice nurses who make effective clinical judgment the core of their nursing practice, all of which can be implemented in an online setting. Continue reading “Developing Clinical Judgment in an Online Environment”

Student Remediation Programs Make Success Possible for Nursing Students

By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN

“Ashley” was admitted to a nursing program with several challenges. She had dropped out of high school at 15 because she was pregnant; she got married and had a baby at 16; and was divorced at 17. For years, she worked at low paying jobs to support her son, although her dream was to become a nurse. Her grades in high school were not great because she rarely went to class. Finally, at 30 years of age, encouraged by a nurse who was the mother of one of her son’s friends, she successfully completed a GED exam and slowly began to take the required courses to apply for a nursing program. Her grades, although not stellar, were sufficient to make her competitive for admission. Her math score on the admission test was extraordinarily high, despite a low reading comprehensive score, which made her admission possible. Continue reading “Student Remediation Programs Make Success Possible for Nursing Students”

Addressing Cheating in Online Testing

By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN ANEF, FAAN

The Coronavirus pandemic has forced most nursing schools to increase their use of online testing, as we reported recently. As I talk to faculty around the country, I continue to hear concerns about the security and validity of online testing. How valid is this concern, and what can we do to mitigate it? Continue reading “Addressing Cheating in Online Testing”

Testing Online in the Era of Social Distancing

By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN

Most of us have been coping, both personally and professionally, with the results of social distancing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While we would like life to return to “normal,” we also worry about the health impact of returning to our “face-to-face” lives.  Equally important, when this crisis passes, what will the new normal look like? Continue reading “Testing Online in the Era of Social Distancing”

Evaluating Online Discussions

By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN

Online discussion boards provide the most effective learning when students are given the opportunity to demonstrate higher order thinking skills. Regardless of the topic of discussion, students must be able to demonstrate that they can: Continue reading “Evaluating Online Discussions”

Online Learning: Creating a Caring Environment that Encourages Critical Thinking

By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN

The impact of the coronavirus is being felt everywhere.  As I write this, schools, colleges, and universities across the country are temporarily closed and planning to move classes to online instruction when they reopen. For faculty in nursing programs, this directive is manageable, as many face-to-face courses involve some level of interaction online. However, as I talk to faculty from across the country, I hear concerns regarding the loss of a caring learning environment among students and faculty in courses delivered only online. I also hear concerns that implementing teaching-learning strategies to stimulate critical thinking is more difficult in an online environment that in face-to-face instruction. Perhaps during this national emergency it would be helpful for all of us to think about “best practices” for online instruction, particularly those that involve creating a caring environment that encourages critical thinking. Continue reading “Online Learning: Creating a Caring Environment that Encourages Critical Thinking”

Student Strategies to Get the Most Out of an Online Class

By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN

Online courses provide you the convenience of being able to learn whenever, wherever, and however works best for you. However, challenges often arise in online education, which require student preparation to ensure success. Develop the following skills to flourish in online education. Continue reading “Student Strategies to Get the Most Out of an Online Class”