Synchronous Videoconferencing in Distance Education for Pre-Licensure Nursing

Current nursing education practices typically include methodologies for providing access to students located at a distance from the hosting institution. The majority of methodologies make use of asynchronous formatting in which communication occurs without the benefit of simultaneous, synchronous interaction. The increasing worldwide availability of high-speed internet access in combination with emerging technologies offer the opportunity to provide high-quality education to learners in remote and distant locations. The study examined student learner responses to two survey instruments upon the conclusion of a standard course in a pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing education program. Volunteer participants were solicited from an enrolled class of 21 students; 13 of the enrolled 21 students participated in the study. The selected instruments included the Distance Education Learning Satisfaction (DELES) and Social Presence Survey (SPS). The findings demonstrated equal or superior satisfaction and social presence scores on the selected instruments when contrasted with non-nursing coursework findings established in the literature using the same instruments. Significant generalizations from the pilot study are constrained due to the single-site, single-cohort design with small sample size, yet the findings support the belief that the synchronous methodologies afford a comparable, if not superior educational environment for distance learners. The findings further support the need for additional, expanded research to validate the initial findings and increase confidence in use of the new technologies.