Session 4 | 2:30pm | Room 4

Presenter: Melanie Kroger-Jarvis, Associate Professor, Educator

Title:  Using Diverse Applications of Media to Promote Engagement in Students in the Online Classroom

Description: A Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Research Project was conducted for two and a half years to explore if various types of media increase student perception of faculty engagement. The most frequent types of media the students used were surveyed in two online courses in a Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science Program.    Background    Since 2010 online enrollment in higher education classes has become increasingly more popular. (Allen, Seaman, Poulin and Straut, 2016). Distance education enrollments have increased for the fourteenth straight year. The most recent year reported an addition of 337,016 distance education students, a 5.6 percent increase, exceeding the numbers seen over the past three years of over a million (Lederman, 2018). At least 31 percent of all students now take at least one distance education course. Public institutions report the largest gain in distance learning education students with 67.8 percent of all distance students. (Babyson study 2016).   Lack of faculty interaction in online courses has also been cited as the main reason for dissatisfaction (Cole, Shelley and Swartz 2014). Eom et.sl (2006) concluded instructor feedback, self-motivation course design, interaction and instructor facilitation significantly improved students perceived learning outcomes. Many faculties have identified the challenge of feeling connected, or having a presence, and engaging with their students. Yu et al (2013) concludes that online instruction must provide a sense of caring by solicitation from students about the course and using student feedback to improve the course. Higher levels of interpersonal interaction were also correlated to better student performance in online courses (Yu 2013, p. 1) which highlights the importance of a strong faculty presence in online courses.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess perceived student learning and perceived faculty presence in the on-line RN-BSN nursing courses that required the use of diverse technologies to complete assignments.    Design: A prospective descriptive design was used. A total of 87 students completed a online survey using REDCap following the completion of courses.     Results: Kaltura was the most popular media type used by students (57.5%) followed by voice-over-powerpoint (36.8%). Only 3% of students reported using this medium prior to this course. 85.1% agreed that this activity increased course discussion. And 60.9% reported that this format helped them demonstrate understanding better than a tradional classroom. 85.1% (n=74) reported that their confidence increased due to this assignment. Students reported that this format made the feel less, stressed, more confident, and more engaged with faculty and fellow students.     Conclusion: This study found that although it can be difficult, the introduction of new technology to on-line students is beneficial to student learning. The results of this study provides encouragement to faculty to have students use diverse technologies to complete assignments.  

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