Distance Nursing Education

1. DISTANCE EDUCATION IN
NURSING
By
Srinivasan c
M.Sc Nursing year

2. INTRODUCTION:
As a result of technological advances, distance
education for nurses is flourishing in 21st Century. The
technological advancements refined the educational
system and approaches. Distance education act as
blessing to all nurses to continue their education and
update their skills in their work setting with limited costs,
which directly benefitted quality of patient care and
health care system as whole.

3. Definition of Distance Education:
Distance education is defined as planned
learning that occurs in different place from
teaching, requiring real time(synchronous) or
delayed (asynchronous) interactive technology and
a needing a course design supportive of students
. Escoffery, Miner & Alperin 2003.

4. Historical changes
• 360 B.C –Plato introduced “Written Word” which enable the students to
experience and interpret the words without facing teacher.
• Middle age – Industrial revolution lead to technologically sound learning
modalities which increased the opportunities for teaching outside class
room. Establishment of postal services had greater influence in delivery of
education at distance.
• 1873-Home based studies delivered via radio.
• 1892-Pennsylvania university started distance education programme via
postal services.
• 1950 -60 – Correspondence courses delivered via text book, multi media,
radio and TV.

5. • 1961 - Central Advisory Board of Education decided to introduce
the system of correspondence courses and a Committee was
appointed under the chairmanship of Dr. D. S. Kothari who was the
then Chairman of UGC which recommended in 1961 the starting of
correspondence courses.
• 1961 - The first School of Correspondence Courses was started by
the University of Delhi in 1962.
• 1974-Regents External Degree Programme in Nursing. Currently
16000 students undergoing different courses through distance
learning-Associate degree, Master of Nursing.
• 1980- Many universities started offering correspondence courses
and distance learning courses.
• 1982- First Open university established in Andhra Pradesh.

6. • 1985 – IGNOU established.-First University established in India
which offer only distance education and open education on various
streams.
• 1990 – IGNOU started offering PBBSC Nursing course through open
and distance mode. This programme recognized by INC.
• 1992- Distance Education Council established. IGNOU had
administrative powers of DEC.
• 1994 – Duquesne University – opened first online distance
education program on Ph.D Nursing. In USA, currently nearly 30
institutions offer Distance education courses in Nursing.
• 1995- In India, Enrollment of 200,000 students in open and distance
learning,

7. • 2005-2014 – Establishment of State owned open
universities. – Currently 13 universities offer
different educational programmes.
• 2013 – DEC administrative powers shifted to UGC.
• 2014-Distance Education Bill passed

8. Objectives of distance education courses
(i) “To provide an efficient and less expensive method of educational
instruction at a higher level in the context of national development of India.
(ii) To provide facilities to pursue higher education to all qualified and willing
persons who had failed to join regular university courses due to personal and
economic reasons or because of their inability to get admission to a regular
college, and
(iii) To provide opportunities of academic pursuits to educated citizens
through correspondence instruction without disturbing their present
employment

9. characteristics
1. The quasi-permanent separation of teacher and learner
throughout the length of the learning process; this distinguishes it
from conventional face-to-face education.
2. The influence of an educational organisation both in planning
and preparation of learning materials and in the provision of
student support services; this distinguishes it from private study
and teach yourself programmes.
3. The use of technical media; print, audio, video or computer, to
unite teachers and learners and carry the content of the course.

10. 4. The provision of two-way communication so that the
student may benefit from or even initiate a dialogue; this
distinguishes it from other uses of technology in education.
5. The quasi-permanent absence of a learning group
throughout the length of the learning process so that
people are usually taught as individuals and not in groups,
with the possibility of occasional meetings for both didactic
and socialisation purposes.

11. 6. Each student is separated from his/her peer group in
the sense that although the learners form a fairly sizable
population they do not have face-to-face interaction
among themselves. Thus distance education becomes a
highly individualised learning system. In this sense, it
remains one of the most individualised of all educational
systems.
7. Education in real life setting

12. 8. Student centered
9. Indirect education
10. Flexible approach
11. Independence to adult learner/Learners
autonomy.

13. Benefits of Distance education
• Balancing inequalities between age groups; extending
geographical access to education and delivering
educational campaigns and other education for large
audiences
• Providing speedy and efficient training for key target
groups.

14. • Expanding the capacity for education in new and
multidisciplinary subject areas; offering the combination of
education with work and family life.
• Developing multiple competencies through recurrent and
continuing education; enhancing the international
dimension of educational experience.
• Improving the quality of existing educational services.

15. • To respond effectively to the growing demand of
working adults or any others who have difficulties in
getting training in conventional education because of
lack of flexibility in the timing and location of courses.
• To provide an opportunity for the empowerment of
those most disadvantaged by existing provision, the
unemployed, the disabled, women and ethnic
minorities.

16. Taylor’s Models of Distance education
Taylor proposed five generations of distance education
models:
1.First Generation: Correspondence model
 Print is the delivery technology for the correspondence
model of distance education. Print has the flexibility of
time, place and pace. Faculty and students need not to be
in same place at the same time for the purpose of learning.
The main disadvantage of this model is interactivity, costs in
preparing and printing, and lack of immediate feedback. It
always relies on postal communication. This model is
popular all over the word 1980-1990.

17. Second Generation: Multimedia model
 The multimedia model supplements print materials with
audiotape and videotape, computer based learning, and
interactive video. These model partly encourages interaction
and flexibility of time, place and pace for both teacher and
learner. The main disadvantage of this model is cost in
preparing and printing, and lack of immediate feedback.

18. Third Generation: Telelearning model
In this model, real time two way communication
takes place between student and teacher. It
ensures advanced interactive delivery. This offers
highly refined materials with very less cost. One
of the disadvantage of this model is that the
students and teacher requires assembling at
same time and same place for effective learning

19. Fourth Generation: Flexible learning model
 This model is referred as technology mediated flexible learning. This
model uses all forms of technology such as internet, multimedia,
print and computer based instruction.
 Advantages:
1. Flexibility to time, place and pace.
2. Highly refined instructional material.
3. Interactive delivery
4. Limited costs

20. Fifth Generation: Intellectual Flexible learning
model
 It incorporates use of al technologies in the previous
model, with the addition of automated response
systems for computer mediated communication and
campus portal access of resources. This model has
similar advantages of fourth generation model

21. Approaches of Distance Education
1. Synchronous Approach:
 The participants in the same space at the same time
in order to attend to the material of teaching. All the
students should assemble before the TV or Broadcast
to receive instructional material. It is more closure to
traditional class room.

22. • E.g IGNOU lecturers are delivered through TV channels like Gnan
Dharsan and INC is conducting contact classes for Ph.D nursing via
videoconferencing at six centers in India
Advantages:
1. Lectures and lesson are delivered at same time to distant
places, which ensures uniformity in delivery systems.
2. Enhances Group building
3. Facilitating Brain-Stroming and decision making

23. 4. Co-operative learning.
5. Promotes skill in discussion among learner
6. Feeling of Social isolation is reduced.
7. Discussion is possible in terms of written words.

24. Disadvantages:
1. Scheduling same time to multiple participants would be difficult.
2. Requirement of greater Financial and personnel resources.
3. Adult learner will have heterogeneous in qualification and
understanding would make difficult to prepare contents.
4. Cannot be suitable for learners from different time zones.

25. 2. Asynchronous Approach:
The instruction is delivered at different points of time
usually recorded videos, print materials etc. Learners
have freedom to receive the instruction at their own
time, space and pace.
E.g
Most of the universities follow this system by sending
text materials, recorded multimedia materials to distant
learner by post or email.

26. • Advantages:
1. It does not require the participants share the time or space
to contribute to or benefit from instructions.
2. Tailored to individual need and meeting individual
differences.
3. Suitable to all learners living different time zones.

27. 4. Individual can read and understand the content at his own pace.
5. Recorded lectures and printed text materials will be viewed number
of times which enhances retention of learning.
6. Learner can clarify their doubts through emails/post.
7. It is good for learner who has learning disabilities.
8. Online discussion boards will enhance interaction among learners

28. Disadvantages:
1. Social isolation of learner.
2. Lacks active interaction.
3. Cost is higher.
4. Lack of immediate clarification and evaluation of contents.

29. Instructional delivery systems in
Distance Education

30. Factors to be considered in development of a
distance education Programme in Nursing
1. Needs assessment : External factors and Internal
factors
 Health care system
 Receptiveness of community and target group
 Support of councils and apex bodies in terms of
recognition and accreditation

31.  Congruency of distance education program with Mission, philosophy,
organizational frame work of parent organization.
 Academic infrastructure, Clinical facilities, faculty expertise and
resources availability.
2. Economic feasibility.
• Financial planning
• Cost effectiveness of the program
• Clear financial plan
• Self sufficiency

32. 3. Curriculum
• Congruency of the curriculum with regular
programs of parent institution
• Comparability with other similar programmes.
4. Delivery model
• Type of delivery system
• Rationale of choosing particular model
• Cost related to the system
• Learning needs of students
• Faculty expertise
• Faculty development programmes
• “User friendly” for faculty and students

33. 5. Teaching and learning theories and Nursing values
• Preserving nursing values “caring, communications,
professional socialization, moral and ethical values.
6. Evaluation methods
• Type of evaluation plan
• Relevancy of evaluation method to delivery system and
objectives

34. • Trends of Distance Education In India

35. Role of Distance Education Council:
Distance Education Council plays a pivot role in
maintaining standards of distance education in
India. The major functions are,
 Lay down norms, guidelines and standards for
offering various programmes of higher education
through distance education system and prescribe
physical and infrastructural facilities, staffing pattern
and staff qualifications required for such programmes
and enforce the same;

36.  Grant recognition to programmes of higher education offered
through distance education system within the country and/or
outside;
 Act as a nodal authority for providing communication network,
tools, technologies, radiobroadcast, telecast internet, satellite
communication and the interactive technology relevant for
distance education; iv) establish collaborative network of
higher education institutions for joint development and/or
sharing of educational resources;
 Lay down norms, guidelines and standards for regulating and
monitoring online programmes.

37. • Regulatory authority of Distance Education
courses in Nursing:
Indian Nursing Council and Distance Education
Council are primary regulatory authorities to set
standards, recognition and monitoring the distance
Education programmes in Nursing in India.

38. • Recommendations for Effective learning in
distance mode

39. Challenges and issues in Distance education in Nursing
1. Socio-economical factors:
There is huge divide between urban and rural area in terms of
technology development. Thus affects delivery system in distance
education. Cost related to use these technology advancements is
still an challenge to marginally lower socio economic learners.
However, this issue is well taken care of by policy maker by
establishing National Knowledge Network(NKN) , Toll free
telephone numbers, e-governance centres,National Informatics
Centers (NIC), free laptop/tablets, mobile application, Broad band
connectivity to all villages etc.

40. 2. Technological challenges:
In the era of scientific explosion, choosing a appropriate
method fitting to all learner need still be challenge to
institution offer distance education program. However,
3. Learner with disabilities:
It is not well addressed in the traditional and distance
education system. Use of technology and modalities to suit the
all type of disabilities is still a challenge. However, this can be
solved by magnifying screen/monitors, Bralie printer, Text-to-
speech software,Translation software, modified key board,and
mobile application.

41. 4. Language barrier and diverse cultural patterns
5. Faculty workload
6. Incentives and recognition of faculty and students.
7. Intellectual property and patent issues: The ownership of
programmes is still controversial. University as primary funding
agencies is higher proportion to hold the ownership than the faculty.

42. 8. Attitude towards innovation and change: Still people
believe that traditional system is the best and only system;
such believes causes resistance to change and accept the
innovation. Lack of research related information is also the
key for resistance and acceptance of distance education.
9. Transactional distance: The psychosocial distance between
faculty and learner act as challenge in inculcating nursing
values and attitude change.

43. 10. Imparting skill and values:
Nursing is practice discipline and attached with various
values. Imparting skills and values are still a challenge in
distance education in Nursing. This challenge may
overcome by on-campus visit, availability of preceptors,
clinical posting and training under direct supervision of
faculty/preceptor in accredited hospitals.

44. 11. Recognition and accreditation:
Accreditation and recognition of distance education
courses are still remain as issue in India. There is lack of
common understanding between apex bodies and
councils. Many state nursing councils do not consider
distance education courses as recognized qualification.
These cause hesitancy among nurses to undergo
distance education courses in India

45. Journals reference
• Horne EM, Sandmann LR, Current trends in
systematic program evaluation of online graduate
nursing education: an integrative literature
review. J Nurs Educ. 2012 Oct;51(10):570-6.
• Cartwright JC, Menkens R, Student perspectives
on transitioning to new technologies for distance
learning, Comput Inform Nurs. 2002;20:143-9

47. summaries my topic
 Introduction
 Definition
 History
 Aims and objectives
 Characteristics and modals
 Approaches factors
 Role and trends
 Challenges and recommendation