Graduate students' perceptions of online teaching and relationship to preferred learning styles

MedSurg Nursing, Dec, 2005 by Arleen Fearing, Marguerite Riley

Student enrollments in nursing programs across the United States have increased during the past several years; however, not all qualified applicants can be admitted because of insufficient faculty, clinical placement sites, and classroom space (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2004a). Factors contributing to this shortage of faculty include more retirements as the average age of faculty members continues to rise, better salary opportunities in the private sector that attract existing and/or potential faculty, and stress or dissatisfaction with the academic life (AACN, 2004b). Many nursing schools have developed nurse educator programs at the master's level to meet this demand for qualified faculty. In the meantime, to facilitate access for adult learners, distance technologies are being used more frequently for program delivery.

The increased use of technology in teaching nursing students presents a need to study the results of online teaching. The online format is often an advantage to graduate students who have work, financial, and family responsibilities (Bonnel, Starling, Wambach, & Tarnow, 2003). Many graduate students, especially those in rural areas, are unable to attend traditional university classes. The online format allows them the flexibility to complete the nurse educator program and impact the faculty shortage in the areas where they live. Assessing the learning style preferences and designing online courses around their preferences may enhance students' learning and improve the application of their course work.

The purpose of this nonexperimental, descriptive study following the Constructivism theory was to examine the students' learning styles, and their perceptions of six online nurse educator courses, the faculty, and the asynchronous format, as well as the effectiveness of assignments and faculty-student interactions. The course work was designed specifically to meet the learning needs of adult/graduate students living a considerable distance from the university.

Literature Review

A search of the CINAHL database revealed a large number of studies in the literature related to online teaching and learning in general; a limited number of research studies were available involving nursing students, especially graduate nursing students. A gap exists in the research literature pertaining to the effect of learning styles on undergraduate and graduate nursing students' perceptions of online instruction despite the rapidly increasing use of this mode of course delivery in schools of nursing. This literature review is focused on the areas of nursing students' perceptions of online teaching-learning, graduate students' perceptions of online teaching-learning, and studies done with learning styles as related to online teaching-learning.

Nursing students perceptions' of online teaching-learning. Students' perceptions of an online asynchronous seminar experience was examined in a qualitative study by Wilhelm, Rodehorst, Young, Jensen, and Stepans (2003). An interpretive approach was used to examine student perceptions of online seminar discussion methods. A convenience sample of 31 nursing students completed evaluation surveys, and 10 subjects reflecting diverse views of online discussion were selected as a purposive sample for in-depth interviews. Using engagement theory, the researchers grouped the identified patterns of student interpretation. Patterns included learner-to-learner learning via the Internet, learning multiple perspectives on issues, interacting with students from more than one campus, and development of technological, online discussions and presentation skills. Negative perceptions included frustration with the technology, lack of face-to-face contact, and limited instructor input into discussions.

Performance indicators (benchmarks) for the best educational practices in Web-based courses were validated in a qualitative study of the perceptions of graduate and undergraduate nursing students (Seiler & Billings, 2004). General framework benchmarks included use of technology, educational practices, and outcomes. A convenience sample included 458 nursing students at five nursing schools who responded to the two open-ended questions regarding students' perceptions of what works well online and what could be improved. Student responses to the use of technology validated that readability and productive use of time met the framework benchmarks. The students described how educational practices, such as active learning, time on task, meaningful feedback, positive student-faculty interaction, collaboration with peers, respect for diverse ways of learning, and high expectations of the courses, helped achieve outcomes of learning. The convenience, access, feeling part of an online community, and increased sense of professionalism were reported as additional positive aspects of online learning. Student areas of need identified from the study were orientation to the technology, course orientation, learning resources, and student support.