Graduate Nursing Students' Perceptions of Discussion Board Quality

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Online Learning
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Online discussion boards are crucial for interaction and engagement in nursing education.
• Poorly designed discussion boards can hinder learning and intellectual challenge.
• Thoughtful design is essential for effective online nursing education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of Skinner's DEARC Discussion Board Strategy with traditional formats in an online Master of Science in Nursing program.
• To evaluate student preferences and engagement levels with different online discussion board designs.

Main Methods:

• A concurrent mixed-methods study surveyed 50 Master of Science in Nursing students in an online, asynchronous program.
• Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using a single survey instrument.
• The survey demonstrated high reliability (α = 0.874).

Main Results:

• Skinner's DEARC Discussion Board Strategy (DEARC) was preferred by 52% of participants.
• DEARC showed less variability and larger effect sizes compared to traditional formats.
• Four key themes emerged: learning experience, flexibility, structure, and engagement.

Conclusions:

• Participants favored the structured DEARC discussion method.
• A blended approach, integrating DEARC's depth with traditional formats' flexibility, may best meet diverse learner needs.
• This suggests a need for adaptable online discussion strategies in nursing education.