I believe that online classes prepare you to enter graduate school. Graduate students must be responsible for large amounts of information that must be self-taught. It would be impossible to expect to get everything you need for an exam, or eventually your career, from the classroom as a graduate student. I like that in NR534 Advanced Health Assessment (as taught by Dr. Johnson) I am responsible for reading the book, completely the interactive exercises, and memorizing the basic information. I then go to clinical and exam a patient using the knowledge I have taught myself along with guidance through the exam from my preceptor. I learn how to perform an assessment on a patient from information from the book and experience of my clinical faculty. I am forced to be productive at home because I am expected to report to clinical prepared to use the knowledge from the book without getting a lecture from my clinical preceptor. I feel better prepared for the graduate classes I will take in the fall knowing that I can guide my learning and get the information I need from the books at home.
Original Post:
July 20, 2009
Title: Is Online Learning Easier?
While at work last night we had a discussion of the different types of programs where nurses can earn their BSN and/or MSN. I was surprised that the majority of nurses said they preferred the traditional classroom over online or distance programs. The view was there would not be the instructor support to help with elements of a course that the student was not able to understand. I look at this experience totally opposite, with the entire Internet at my disposal; I can research any topic and find the answers myself. In a classroom I would be limited to what the instructor was putting forth. Yes, I can always later do the online research but how often will that happen. I think in the classroom, instructors consciously or subconsciously teach to how they will test to insure the success of their students. With online learning, I am responsible for learning the material and have no idea what specific topics will be on an exam. It isn’t that it is easier to do an online degree program; it requires the desire to look for and learn the information as opposed to having it spoon-fed.
Online Advanced Health Assessment Course
Tags: Healthcare Informatics, Healthcare Informatics Resources, Nursing Education, Health Care Informatics Education, Online Nursing Education, Online Health Nursing Assessment Course
Healthcare Informatics Resources 
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