Faculty Perceptions of Web-based Course Delivery

Purpose: The purpose of this poster is to describe faculty perceptions and experiences in developing and teaching web-based nursing courses. Research Questions: What are the challenges faced by faculty teaching web-based courses? What are common problems and creative solutions related to teaching on-line?

Subjects/Participants: Four nursing faculty members teaching web-based courses, and a graduate teaching assistant (GTA) assisting with the courses, participated in this pilot study. Two faculty had previously taught a web course and two were experiencing first time web course delivery.

Methods: The participants used strategies employed in web-based instruction to share their experiences in teaching on-line. A computer mediated asynchronous discussion forum was established using WebCT© software during the first six months of implementation of a web based curriculum. Participants posted questions to the discussion forum to stimulate group interaction. Responses were analyzed to identify problems, solutions, threads, and future directions.

Results: Challenges and solutions include the following: 1) Faculty must view learning differently in web-based courses, as students assume greater responsibility for learning. 2) Adequate time is necessary to plan and develop learner-based activities. 3) Faculty training and resources to support course development and implementation are essential. 4) Students must have appropriate hardware, software, and Internet access, as well as course orientation for successful participation. 5) Developing mechanisms for managing and grading assignments is challenging. 6) Teaching and learning on-line is a process that requires flexibility from both faculty and students. 7) Teaching and learning on-line may require more time, not less, than traditional courses.

Implications: Teaching courses on-line requires faculty to take a new approach to teaching and learning and to develop appropriate learning activities for students to meet course objectives. Ongoing research and evaluation are needed to identify competencies and resources needed by faculty in order to deliver quality web-based courses, to identify effective on-line teaching-learning strategies, and to compare outcomes of courses taught on-line versus conventional face-to-face settings.

Course delivery via the internet poses many challenges and opportunities. The presenters each have over three years experience in designing and teaching web-based courses. Participants considering web course development will have an opportunity for dialog regarding strategies for effective on-line teaching/learning.

Linda M. Hennig, EdD, RN
University of Central Florida
School of Nursing
PO Box 162210
Orlando, FL USA 32816-2210
Phone: 407-823-5848
Fax: 407-823-5675
Email: lindah@mail.ucf.edu

CO-AUTHORS:

Karen Hassey Dow, PhD, RN, FAAN
University of Central Florida
School of Nursing
PO Box 162210
Orlando, FL USA 32816-2210
Phone: 407-823-2744
Fax: 407-823-5675
Email: kdow@mail.ucf.edu\ AM