Peer learning a pedagogical approach to enhance online learning: A qualitative exploration.

BACKGROUND Flexible online programs are becoming increasingly popular method of education for students, allowing them to complete programs in their own time and cater for lifestyle differences. A mixture of delivery modes is one way which allows for enhanced learning. Peer learning is another method of learning which is shown to foster collaboration and prepare healthcare students for their future careers. This paper reports on a project to combine peer and online learning to teach pharmacology to nursing students. OBJECTIVES To explore undergraduate nursing student opinions of working in peer groups for online learning sessions in a pharmacology course. DESIGN A qualitative study utilising a self-reported questionnaire. SETTING A rural campus of an Australian university. PARTICIPANTS Second year nursing students enrolled in a Bachelor of Nursing Program. METHODS A hard copy questionnaire was distributed to all students who attended the final semester lecture for the course. Content analysis of open-ended survey questions was used to identify themes in the written data. RESULTS Of the 61 students enrolled in the nursing subject, 35 students chose to complete the survey (57%). Students reported a mixed view of the benefits and disadvantages of peer online learning. Sixty 6% (66%) of students liked peer online learning, whilst 29% disliked it and 6% were undecided. Convenience and ease of completion were reported as the most common reason to like peer online learning, whilst Information Technology issues, communication and non-preferred learning method were reasons for not liking peer online learning. CONCLUSION Peer online learning groups' acted as one further method to facilitate student learning experiences. Blending peer online learning with traditional face-to-face learning increases the variety of learning methods available to students to enhance their overall learning experience.

[1]  S. Cobb,et al.  Social presence, satisfaction, and perceived learning of RN-to-BSN students in Web-based nursing courses. , 2011, Nursing education perspectives.

[2]  Terri A Meehan-Andrews Teaching mode efficiency and learning preferences of first year nursing students. , 2009, Nurse education today.

[3]  Sue Bennett,et al.  The 'digital natives' debate: A critical review of the evidence , 2008, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[4]  V. J. Connors,et al.  Strategic plan. , 1999, Journal of the American Optometric Association.

[5]  Karen Kear,et al.  Learning and peer feedback in shared online spaces , 2014 .

[6]  L. Mckenna,et al.  The clinical teaching preference questionnaire (CTPQ): an exploratory factor analysis. , 2013, Nurse education today.

[7]  L. Mckenna,et al.  The changing skill mix in nursing: considerations for and against different levels of nurse. , 2015, Journal of nursing management.

[8]  H. Zhang,et al.  Web-based distance learning for nurse education: a systematic review. , 2013, International nursing review.

[9]  L. Mckenna,et al.  A step ahead: teaching undergraduate students to be peer teachers. , 2011, Nurse education in practice.

[10]  H. Forbes,et al.  Teaching and learning innovations for postgraduate education in nursing. , 2013, Collegian.

[11]  Jamison V. Kovach,et al.  ONLINE TECHNOLOGIES FOR ENGAGED LEARNING A Meaningful Synthesis for Educators , 2011 .

[12]  Kim B. Brannagan,et al.  Impact of peer teaching on nursing students: perceptions of learning environment, self-efficacy, and knowledge. , 2013, Nurse education today.

[13]  Tony Chambers,et al.  Understanding undergraduate students’ experience: a content analysis using NSSE open-ended comments as an example , 2012 .

[14]  J. Barnett,et al.  Collaborative Testing and Achievement: Are Two Heads Really Better than One?. , 2010 .

[15]  Janet Colvin,et al.  Roles, Risks, and Benefits of Peer Mentoring Relationships in Higher Education , 2010 .

[16]  T. Thomas,et al.  Learning preferences of first year nursing and midwifery students: utilising VARK. , 2011, Nurse education today.

[17]  K. Currie,et al.  Participants' engagement with and reactions to the use of on-line action learning sets to support advanced nursing role development. , 2012, Nurse education today.

[18]  Francesca Moretti,et al.  A standardized approach to qualitative content analysis of focus group discussions from different countries. , 2011, Patient education and counseling.

[19]  K. Hamberg,et al.  Content of childbirth-related fear in Swedish women and men--analysis of an open-ended question. , 2006, Journal of midwifery & women's health.

[20]  M. Ivimey Annual report , 1958, IRE Transactions on Engineering Writing and Speech.

[21]  M. Costantini,et al.  End‐of‐life care in Italy: personal experience of family caregivers. A content analysis of open questions from the Italian Survey of the Dying of Cancer (ISDOC) , 2008, Psycho-oncology.

[22]  Santhamma James,et al.  Learning styles of first-year undergraduate nursing and midwifery students: a cross-sectional survey utilising the Kolb Learning Style Inventory. , 2012, Nurse education today.

[23]  Lorna M. Hayward,et al.  Integrating Web‐Enhanced Instruction into a Research Methods Course: Examination of Student Experiences and Perceived Learning , 2004 .