Strategies to Promote Cultural Competence in Distance Education

Cultural competence is a mainstay in health care and nursing education. With the expansion in the number of distance-based nursing programs across the country, innovative teaching methods for distance learning faculty are required to instill cultural competence in students. Faculty must be deliberate when planning distance-based learning activities that incorporate cultural experiences. This article describes several such strategies including the creative use of blogging, recorded lectures, the online synchronous classroom, social media, and cultural immersion projects. These methods capitalize on existing information technologies and offer distance-based students the opportunity to connect with one another, as well as develop the awareness, sensitivity, and respect that is required when providing culturally competent care. These teaching methods are modifiable to meet the teaching and learning needs of the faculty and the students, thereby allowing educators to support the integration of cultural competence into patient care for distance students.