From bricks to bytes: faculty and student perspectives of online graduate nursing courses

Four courses in an existing graduate primary care program were transformed and offered via interactive television with an online component. Data were collected from students taking any 1 of the 4 graduate nursing courses and from faculty teaching online to understand better the experiences associated with technology-based education. An online evaluation tool, the standard School of Nursing evaluation tool, and 2 focus groups-one a convenient sample of students from these 4 classes and the second a group of faculty engaged in online teaching-were all used for data collection. The primary advantages and disadvantages from both the student and the faculty perspective are described. Important considerations for initiation of online course work are included.