Impact of technology on the content and nature of teaching and learning

Excelsior College has a Web-based graduate nursing program with a focus on clinical systems management and health care informatics that incorporates a variety of technology-based educational strategies: synchronous and asynchronous collaborative communication, project/activity-based learning, and web-based interaction and feedback. This pilot study was undertaken to examine the relationship between the use of technology and outcomes in two computer-mediated courses in the program. Questionnaires, interviews, standardized scales, and course assessments were selected or developed as needed, and existing demographic information and evaluations were accessed for comparison purposes. The analysis strategy was specific to the data, the sample size, and the types of questions posed. The tools developed for and used in the study can be applied across the curriculum to enhance evaluation of learning and program effectiveness.