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Use of a virtual community to contextualize learning activities
Laura Gonzalez1, Cynthia L Fenske
1College of Nursing, University of South Florida, 14816 Farnham Way, Tampa, FL 33624, USA. Lgonzal24@verizon.net
The Journal of Nursing Education
|December 3, 2011
Summary
Virtual communities (VC) enhance nursing education by bridging theory and practice. This approach provides context for better knowledge retention and engagement, shifting to learner-centered instruction.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Educational Technology
- Pedagogy
Background:
- Traditional nursing education often struggles to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and clinical application.
- There is a need for innovative teaching strategies to enhance student engagement and knowledge retention in nursing programs.
- Placing concepts within a relevant context is crucial for deeper understanding and skill acquisition in nursing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the implementation of a virtual community (VC) in two nursing schools.
- To describe the development of integrated teaching strategies using a VC to connect didactic and clinical learning.
- To highlight exemplars of nursing education practice enhanced by contextual learning within a VC.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative report on the experiences of two nursing schools utilizing a virtual community (VC).
- Development and implementation of integrated teaching strategies designed to provide context for nursing concepts.
- Focus on how the VC facilitated a shift from content-driven to learner-centered instruction.
Main Results:
- The virtual community (VC) successfully lessened the gap between didactic and clinical nursing applications.
- Integrated teaching strategies within the VC provided enhanced context, improving knowledge retention and application.
- Student engagement was heightened due to the added complexity and richness of the VC environment.
- The VC enabled the presentation of nursing education beyond acute inpatient settings, illustrating illness progression.
Conclusions:
- Virtual communities (VC) are effective tools for providing context in nursing education, enhancing learning.
- The pedagogical shift towards learner-centered approaches, facilitated by VCs, improves knowledge retention and application.
- VCs offer a valuable platform for nursing students to observe and understand the broader context of patient care and illness progression.
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