Learning Objective #1: Determine that the pedagogy outcomes were significantly increased in the virtual community health assessment clinical

Learning Objective #2: Demonstrate the individual outcome measures of each student in relation to the community assessment process in the virtual community assessment versus a group outcome

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The virtual clinical Island called Lil-Wald was designed for a WebCT course in Community Health Nursing. The author and interdisciplinary co-authors envisioned this innovative course in order to provide the ideal learning environment without the nursing student leaving their home setting. The virtual community clinical provides the processes of critical thinking, and statistical analysis for the graduate student, versus analysis of data in the undergraduate course. The study is predicted to show a significantly better performance by the student in the virtual clinical. The virtual nature of the module makes data gathering an adventure through simulation modeled after real world census data, interviews of individuals, families, and the community. All Web site links are provided. This technology-rich module produces significantly equal or better results in conducting the Community Health Assessment requirement as traditional methods of “census tract/block-data-collection” do, so that the outcome measures are individual vs. group. A research grant is allowing the authors to pilot the clinical study with RN-BSN & RN-MSN students. Dr. Sefcik, a CS in community health nursing will teach the community health nursing groups of 10 each over WebCT. Both groups will be pre-tested and post-tested by a custom Hesi community health exam. The experimental group will utilize a different textbook, and course methodology of case studies, web searches, and discussion, and the virtual community health assessment clinical. The traditional group (control group) will utilize PowerPoint presentations, and discussion and the traditional textbook, and the sites in the community. Correlations, t-tests, and ANOVA test will be conducted to determine if significant differences in post-test scores are due to the knowledge acquired through the use of virtual labs. On the post-test, the quality of knowledge and application of this knowledge, critical thinking, and synthesis will be measured. Educational instruments will be used in measuring learning outcomes.