Abstract:
A qualitative study was conducted to detennine 5 nursing educators'
perceptions about the online application of a problem-based learning strategy in
undergraduate nursing education. The question asked in the study was: Can the
essential elements of face-to-face problem-based learning be supported in an online
format? The data for this study came from 2 individual tape-recorded interviews
with each of the 5 participants over a 3-month period and from a researchjournaI.
The educators felt that student-centered learning and critical thinking could be
supported within an online format. However, they noted that challenges could exist
in terms of developing tutor roles, fostering student self-direction, facilitating group
process and connections, and incorporating a nursing philosophy of online learning.
The importance of tailoring an online problem-based learning course to reflect
educators' philosophies and values in nursing emerged as an important theme from
the interview responses. Overall, the participants suggested that an ideal
environment would blend both face-to-face and online elements and that fewer
elements would be offered in the first 2 years of the nursing program. They
described a hybrid model of problem-based learning in which the online component
could be used to support face-to-face sessions.
