Flexible learning: Evaluation of an international distance education programme designed to build the learning and teaching capacity of nurse academics in a developing country

• Published in: Nurse education in practice 2016-11, Vol.21, p.59-65
• Main Authors: Lewis, Peter A., Tutticci, Naomi F., Douglas, Clint, Gray, Genevieve, Osborne, Yvonne, Evans, Katie, Nielson, Catherine M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic staff; Capacity building approach; Clinical Teaching (Health Professions); Collaboration; Course Content; Curricula; Curriculum Design; Developing Countries; Distance Education; Distance learning; Education, Distance - standards; Education, Nursing - methods; Educational Change; Educational Environment; Educational Practices; Educational programs; Faculty, Nursing - education; Flexible delivery; Flexible learning; Focus Groups; Humans; Internationality; LDCs; Learning; Networking; Nurses; Nursing; Nursing education; Polls & surveys; Professional development; Professional knowledge; Program Evaluation; Response rates; Student centred learning; Students; Students, Nursing; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Vietnam
• ISSN: 1471-5953; 1873-5223
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nepr.2016.10.001

The professional development of nurse academics has been high on the agenda in many of the Asia-Pacific's developing countries including Vietnam. In collaboration with the Vietnamese Nurses Association, an Australian university designed and delivered a distance learning programme (DLP). The DLP sought to build academic capacity with a specific focus on the skills required to develop, implement and deliver a new national nursing curriculum. This paper will describe the design and delivery of the DLP as well as report on programme evaluation survey findings. Of the 175 surveys administered 112 were returned yielding a response rate of 64%. The majority of Vietnamese nurse academics identified all DLP modules as ‘very well’ designed and easy to learn from (range 63.9%–84.2%). Predominantly, academics also found the module content to be ‘of great use’ to their professional practice (range 73%–89.5%). Asked specifically about the benefit of the DLP online discussions, 106 (95.5%) participants stated they found the online discussions to be of use. An explanatory comment was also requested to explore this question and responses yielded three themes: ‘networking and collaboration’; ‘acquiring new knowledge’; and ‘improving English’. When asked if they had changed their academic practice as a result of DLP participation, 105 (94.6%) academics stated they had – change was focussed on student centred learning and building a staff community of practice. While these study results indicate the DLP to be successful, it will be how Vietnamese academics utilise and build these skills which will measure the real success of the programme in the future. •International programme develops Vietnamese nurse academic capacity.•Vietnamese nurse academics adopt change-management in teaching.•Vietnamese nurse academics take student centric focus.•Online discussion forums assist development of national community of practice.