Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Fostering Community Of Relationships Via Online Discussion, Kellie Smith, Rn, Msn

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

Background:

Statistics reveal that online education continues to expand in significant numbers throughout higher education. Nursing education must evolve and incorporate instructional technologies to meet the needs of the new era of tech-savvy students. An important aspect to consider for online and nursing education is creating and fostering a strong sense of community among students. Establishing a sense of community builds relationships among nursing students, assists in developing a comfort level with online course technology, is conducive to learning, and encourages reflection on learning possibilities. It has been established that online threaded discussions can encourage the growth of a learning …