Distant Nursing Education and Theoretical Course Design
Advancement in Informational Technology and Distant Nursing Education
Human technology interaction (HTI) comprised of this online pathophysiology course is designed and based on the construct of social presence, which directly affect the user technology relationship. A successful interactive online pathophysiology, based on educational HTI, supports and encourages the social aspects of learning.
This section will discuss social presence and its role in learning. Short, Williams, and Christie (1976) stated that all situations involve communication, and each situation places unique controls on how written, verbal, and nonverbal cues are utilized: computer mediated communication (CMC) is no different.
Scholars in psychology and CMC refer to the quality of the medium of communication and the quality of the relationship as “social presence” (Gunawardena, 1995; Gunawardena & Zittle, 1997; Short et al., 1976). Any medium of communication that is gauged as “being warm, personal, sensitive and sociable” has the highest degree of social presence (Short et al., 1976, p. 66).
In addition, Short et al. hypothesized that verbal and nonverbal cues are such vital components to establishing intimacy and immediacy in communication that people will find a way to express them regardless of the type of medium used. Therefore, social presence in a CMC environment for this online pathophysiology course is created by operationalizing intimacy and immediacy into the course design.
Intimacy is the perception of physical closeness or familiarization among the participants in a communication presence. The factors of intimacy in face-to-face communication are physical distance, eye contact, smiling, and personal topics of conversation (Short et al., 1976, p. 72); However, for this online course, we developed several strategies to create and foster the perception of intimacy and immediacy for both the learner and educator.
First, we pay attention in providing students with built-in time for socialization and creating a safe place to discuss individual and group assignments. Second, we provide private and public forums where they can air their frustrations. Third, we provide certain behaviors such as role modeling, participating dialogue, and attention to netiquette to provide other group members with personal information of their choosing.
Fourth, we emphasize the use of informal language in text, saving formal language for assignments. Immediacy is the perceived emotional and time distance between the instructor and the students. Written texture or visual cues were used to foster immediacy such as preprogrammed feedback design, allowing us to provide correct answers in real time at the submission of students' answers to the quizzes.
A variety of asynchronous forums and synchronous chat rooms were included in the design to foster the perception of immediacy. The lack of verbal and visual cues may not foster immediacy and intimacy, because users can gauge the authenticity of the other and the ensuing relationships without the challenge of stereotypical characteristics (Holloway, 2000; Tanis, 2003).
Social presence is fostered and nurtured in computer-mediated online education, and is leading to the development of successful human-technology interaction in this online pathophysiology course.
Course Distant Nursing Education
The focus of this course is to educate students rather than to present information. The curriculum is competency-based, where prior learning is assessed and validated and the development of skills promotes each student's success. The role of the instructor is not just to provide information, but also to facilitate the self and group learning process, as well as to evaluate the learning experiences.
The concepts of immediacy and intimacy were embedded in the pathophysiology course during the design phase, by utilizing standardized template texture modules as well as multiple images in the design phase, with close collaboration between the educator and online education design team.
Using A Standardized Template for Course Design
Faculty is also required to use standard icons for all basic features offered in WebCT. For example, all courses use the same icon for the syllabus, modules, conference center (WebCT's bulletin board feature-asynchronous communication), student presentation area (a file sharing area), chat (real time-synchronous communication), WebCT's Internal Course e-mail feature, calendar, assignment box, white board, quizzes/exams, and final course evaluations.
We also use the same template to develop the syllabus for this online course. Although you may think that these types of standards stimulate imagination and creativity for courses, students in particular find it very refreshing to go into every SON online course and immediately be familiar with the law of the country for every course.
Not having to navigate or learn a different look and feel based on the individual preferences of instructors proves to be a convenient, time saving mechanism in other terms, immediate perception-in delivering our courses. Both students and faculty immediately know where and how to find the information and tools they need; they can hit the ground running, to coin an old phrase.
A typical course home page, Advanced Pathophysiology, for example, has a universal icon for the following:
- The syllabus (which contains the course description, course outcome competencies or objectives, information about the instructor and his or her contact information e-mail, phone numbers, office hours, etc. course text and/or readings, the schedule, evaluations and grading, and policies) Modules/Units Conference Center (a bulletin board designed to allow the asynchronous).
- Chat Room (for synchronous interaction, if desired) WebCT's e-mail.
- Student Presentation Area
- Quizzes/Exam (not all courses have quizzes or exams)
- Online Grade Book
Student Evaluation of the Course (visible and available to the students during the last week of the course) Because icons are standard in all online courses and the use of these icons has already been introduced to students through the Online Course Skills, students quickly know exactly which icon to select based on their initial or current needs.
Give your opinion if have any.