The effects of Internet-based distance learning in nursing.

Abstract

Distance learning has been the turning point for accomplishing adult learning in nursing education. This article describes the development and structure of a distance-learning course used to deliver distance learning to the RN-BSN students at Yonsei University, College of Nursing. The distance-learning course was developed cooperatively by content experts, instructional designers, programmers, and graphic designers. The course content, "Growth and Development", was a computerized instructional course delivered using the Internet. The programming system was developed on the Web Server and Oracle DB through the Internet. The characteristics of adult learners--graduates with 3-year RN diplomas and working full-time--were considered during development of the course. For a semester, the students studied the growth and development of a person from infancy to adolescence through interactions with peers and instructors using alternative menus on the Internet. The course was evaluated from feedback of 60 RN-BSN students on their satisfaction with this distance-learning course in regard to instructional design, the arrangement and structure of instruction, and the function and feasibility of the courseware. When the self-reported questionnaire with 25 open questions was evaluated, students' general responses were relatively positive. Insufficient feedback from the professor, excessive time and difficulties experienced when connecting to the Internet, and the lack of information about related websites were primary negative responses. For an effective use of the distance-learning system, improvements to the telecommunications network service are crucial. School authorities should support the professors who are interested in developing distance-learning courses so that the courses can be developed with technical perspectives. More distance-learning courses applying interactive multimedia instructional design through the Internet should be developed with the improved network service in the future.