Flexible online learning options for graduate nursing students

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Higher Education Pedagogy

Background:

• Students often balance multiple responsibilities, necessitating flexible academic schedules.
• Traditional course structures may not adequately accommodate the diverse needs of graduate nursing students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of offering flexible online or blended learning options in a faculty preparation course.
• To assess the effect of flexibility on student enrollment and identify potential cost-saving strategies.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a course design offering both fully online and blended completion options for graduate nursing students.
• Tracked student enrollment numbers and analyzed course section viability.

Main Results:

• Increased student enrollment in faculty preparation courses by offering flexible learning modalities.
• Identified a cost-saving opportunity for managing low-enrollment course sections.

Conclusions:

• Flexibility in course delivery is essential for meeting student expectations in graduate nursing programs.
• Creative pedagogical approaches can improve enrollment and operational efficiency in higher education.