Guiding for Distant Education In Nursing Education With the growing popularity of distance education (DE) in nursing, students are increasingly turning to this mode of learning to balance their professional and personal lives while pursuing academic advancement. To succeed in a DE environment, learners need proper guidance and orientation to navigate the unique challenges that come with online or remote learning. This article explores how to guide learners to distance education, provides orientation to the necessary technology, establishes norms for participation in a DE learning community, and clarifies the evolving role of learners in distance education courses.
Guiding Learners to Distance Education
A comprehensive orientation program is essential to the success of any DE program. The orientation should be tailored to the needs of the learner, the content of the course, and the DE delivery system used. Typically, this orientation includes four critical areas:
- Orientation to Technology: Ensuring learners understand the technology tools and systems used in DE.
- Access to Learning Resources: Teaching students how to locate and use the necessary resources.
- Learning Community Norms: Helping learners adjust to the expectations and etiquette of the DE environment.
- Successful Learning Strategies: Providing tips for active learning and time management to support success in distance learning.
A well-structured orientation can help students feel more confident and prepared for the DE experience, improving their chances of success.
Orientation to the Technology in Distance Learning
Distance education relies heavily on technology, particularly videoconferencing, online learning platforms, and other digital tools. Proper orientation to these tools is crucial for learners to become self-sufficient and reduce reliance on technical support.
Key Areas of Focus for Technology Orientation:
- Videoconferencing Tools: Learners must know how to establish network connections, use cameras, and manage audio and video feeds in real-time during class sessions.
- Course Management Systems: Students need to learn how to use platforms like Moodle, Blackboard, or Canvas to access course materials, submit assignments, and participate in discussions.
- Basic Technical Skills: Students should be proficient in tasks such as sending email attachments, copying content, navigating browsers, and using cloud-based storage systems.
Institutions use various approaches to orient students to DE technology. For example, some may hold a hands-on immersion course that lasts 4 to 6 hours, either on campus or at outreach sites, where students can practice using the required tools. In other cases, orientation may be conducted through videoconferencing or online chats, which simulate the actual DE environment. For geographically dispersed learners, printed user guides or online tutorials with diagrams and screenshots can provide step-by-step guidance.
Institutions may also offer practice courses where students can test the hardware and software before starting the actual course. Other media, such as CD-ROMs, streaming videos, or audio guides, may be used to provide a more interactive orientation experience. These resources ensure that students develop the necessary technical skills early on, allowing them to focus on course content rather than struggling with technology during class sessions.
Orientation to the Norms for Participating in a DE Learning Community
Just like in traditional classrooms, DE learning environments have norms for behavior, participation, and interaction that need to be established from the start. These norms facilitate effective learning and create a sense of community among students who may be physically separated by vast distances.
Establishing and Maintaining Community
Building a sense of community in DE courses is essential to overcome barriers like distance, lack of face-to-face interaction, and technological constraints. Faculty can create a community by:
- Introducing all class members at the start of the course, possibly using pictures or profiles to foster connections.
- Encouraging participation from all students and acknowledging contributions, which helps maintain a sense of involvement and shared purpose.
- Setting a supportive tone for discussions, particularly in courses that use audio conferencing or text-based interactions, to reduce feelings of isolation.
Setting Norms for Behavior
Norms should be established at the beginning of the course and reinforced as the course progresses. These may include:
- Respect for privacy and confidentiality: Discussions should remain within the confines of the course, and when discussing case studies or patient scenarios, names and identifying details should be anonymized.
- Netiquette: In Internet-based courses, students should be mindful of proper netiquette, which includes using classmates’ names in discussions, respecting differing opinions, avoiding inappropriate humor, and refraining from hostile remarks.
Faculty should model these behaviors and encourage students to follow them. Participation in DE courses often requires navigating different technologies for contributing to discussions, whether through video conferences, audio chats, or threaded discussions on online forums.
Encouraging Participation
Participation is central to the success of both individual students and the overall learning experience. Students need to be oriented to the technical and social nuances of participation, which may vary depending on the platform being used:
- In videoconference courses, students may need to indicate their desire to speak by using the appropriate features (e.g., raising a digital hand or unmuting the microphone).
- In audio-based courses, students should learn to listen for pauses in conversation before contributing, avoiding interruptions or overlaps.
- In text-based courses, participation often involves writing responses in threaded discussions. Students should be guided on how to post relevant comments, respond to peers, and engage in scholarly discourse.
Faculty can encourage participation by making it a graded component of the course. Additionally, students should be informed about expectations for their participation at the start, such as the minimum number of contributions to discussions or their roles in group projects.
Orientation to the Role of Learner in a Distance Education Course
The role of the learner in distance education has evolved due to the interactive nature of information technology tools. Students are no longer passive recipients of information but are expected to engage in active construction of knowledge, inquiry, collaboration, and critical thinking.
Key Responsibilities of the Learner:
- Self-Directed Learning: Successful distance learners must be independent, self-motivated, and capable of managing their own time effectively.
- Collaboration and Networking: Students must be able to interact with classmates, faculty, and other stakeholders through virtual channels.
- Critical Thinking and Inquiry: Learners are encouraged to actively engage with the material, question assumptions, and apply critical thinking to their studies.
- Use of Resources: Distance learners should be proficient in using online libraries, databases, and learning management systems to enhance their learning.
Developing Lifelong Learning Skills
Faculty can help students develop these skills by guiding them to:
- Identify their learning needs: Faculty should help students reflect on what they need to learn and how they can best achieve their goals.
- Seek external support: Encourage students to enlist support from family, employers, mentors, and experts in their field.
- Plan study time: Faculty should emphasize the importance of planning and time management, helping students allocate adequate time to coursework and practice using the technology before class begins.
Understanding Learning Styles
Every learner has a unique learning style, and distance education may affect how these styles come into play. There are numerous learning styles inventories available, some of which are accessible online. By assessing their own preferences, students can better understand how to adapt to the DE environment and take responsibility for their learning.
In DE learning communities, students must not only manage their own learning but also contribute to the success of the group. They should be oriented to the collaborative nature of group work, and faculty should help mentor them through the formation and functioning of productive work teams.
Conclusion
As distance education becomes more integral to nursing education, proper guidance and orientation for learners are essential. This involves not only teaching them to use the required technologies but also helping them adjust to the norms and expectations of the DE learning community. By offering structured orientations on technology, participation norms, and the evolving role of learners, nursing educators can better prepare students for success in this increasingly digital learning environment.