Understanding online teaching effectiveness: Nursing student and faculty perspectives

• Published in: Journal of professional nursing 2021-09, Vol.37 (5), p.785-794
• Main Authors: Smith, Yvonne, Chen, Yea-Jyh, Warner-Stidham, Andrea
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Challenges to online nursing education; Distance learning; Nursing; Online learning; Online teaching; Online teaching effectiveness; Qualitative research
• ISSN: 8755-7223; 1532-8481
• DOI: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2021.05.009

Online teaching has expanded over the past few decades, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, characteristics of online teaching effectiveness and quality remain understudied. This study examined perceptions of online teaching effectiveness from nursing faculty and student perspectives. The findings presented are from phase 1 of a three-phase, mixed methods research project. In this phase, a qualitative descriptive design was used to analyze data obtained from focus group interview sessions. A purposive sampling of faculty (N = 15) and students (N = 17) from one midwestern, public university participated in five focus groups. Seven themes emerged through qualitative data analysis of faculty focus group data. Student focus groups yielded six themes. Faculty and students identified challenges and strategies for effective online teaching. Student and faculty perceptions of online teaching effectiveness aligned for many themes. Study findings have distinct implications for nursing education. Identifying the characteristics of online teaching effectiveness provides the foundation for establishing tangible constructs and robust evaluation, broadening the impact on learning outcomes, faculty development, and educational practice. •Students and faculty appreciate the flexibility and convenience afforded by online course delivery.•Student perception of challenges to teaching effectiveness include altered communication and relationships with peers and faculty, delay in faculty responses, increased workload, and thoughts of teaching themselves online.•Challenges to teaching effectiveness from the faculty perspective include unfamiliar technology, increased workload, self-efficacy, limited resources, and student barriers to learning.•Student and faculty perceptions of online teaching effectiveness aligned for six themes.