Distance education for graduate nursing: one state school's experience

This article describes the authors experience in teaching graduate nursing courses to students in the rural state of West Virginia during the past 20 years. The strengths and weaknesses of each technological method are detailed, from both the instructor and student perspectives. The most recently implemented system (fall 2003), Webcasting, is also described. The support required within the institution, particularly from Instructional Design and Information Systems staff, and throughout the state is reviewed. The lessons learned from one school's long history with distance education are analyzed from the theoretical perspectives of adult learners and virtual students. We share our experiences with other nurse educators so they can devote more effort to the curricular aspects of their courses, rather than reinventing the technological wheel.