Everything is Alright: Teaching an Online Nursing Course Using Technology

This evidence-based educational project was to facilitate nursing students’ learning and mastery of course outcomes by using a variety of technological applications for online nursing courses. Nursing faculty were challenged by the Academic Computing Department to improve student’s engagement and satisfaction for their online courses. The Center of Academic Excellence at the university provided a 3-day course to learn about the variety of technology tools available to engage students in an online course. Online course nursing faculty used the technology tools to re-design their online courses using reverse course design. A variety of technology tools addressed the learning styles of nursing students as well as motivated them to participate online. These technological tools made the online course more meaningful to the students by encouraging collaborative-based learning peer interactions. Nursing faculty found the use of interactive technology in an online nursing course, fostered nursing students learning, engagement, and satisfaction.

Online course nursing faculty were very satisfied integrating a variety of technology tools to engage their online nursing students in meaningful learning. Collaborating with the Academic Computing Department provided a positive experience for online course nurse faculty to revise their online course to engage their students. Nursing students were satisfied and became more engaged in the online course activities to achieve successful completion of their course. Using the technology tools, online nursing students were able to learn together and from each other. Both nursing faculty and students developed strong connections with the use of technology tools in an online course.

 Online course nursing faculty should assess technology tools that are available to engage the 21^st century learner. Nursing faculty should select the technology tool based on the course outcome they are trying to achieve. A variety of technology tools should be integrated into online nursing courses for nursing faculty and students to achieve successful course objective outcomes as well as active participation.