Learner Isolation in Distance Education - Special Academic Support

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Background

Research demonstrates that distance education is the magic bullet in addressing nursing shortage issues and ensuring that nurses have the opportunity to advance their skills and competencies (Mutea & Cullen, 2012). In nursing contexts, some of the advantages of distance education include:

Time flexibility
Convenience
Lack of transportation worries
Easing the shortage of nursing educators
Capacity to share information via the Internet

One study investigating the effectiveness of distance learning found that, compared with traditional methods of instruction, web-based distance education has equivalent or even better effects in improving participants knowledge and skills performance, and improving self-efficacy in performing nursing skills (Du et al., 2013, p. 175). As a delivery mechanism, distance education involves the separation of the educator and learner in time and space and is used primarily to assure access and convenience for learners (Du et al., 2013, p. 167)

Issue Description

Despite the candy-coated advantages, distance education has been accused of isolating the learner from real communities of practice and peers (Gilmore & Lyons, 2012). This student-based issue is particularly harmful in nursing contexts due to the practical nature of the course and the need for nursing students to continuously interact with faculty and other learners to develop adequate skills and competencies (Young & Paterson, 2013). Evidence from the Literature. Jain and Jain (2015) argue that a significant proportion of nursing students feel isolated in online learning contexts due to:

Inadequate learner-learner interactions
Inadequate learner-content interactions
Inadequate learner-course management system interactions
Inadequate instructor-learner interactions
Lack of spontaneous discussion
Lack of an opportunity to share values and ideas
Feelings of anxiety due to the perception that they are out there by themselves
Lack of contact and competition from other students
Lack of rapport between students and instructors

Learner-Learner interaction occurs when students work or communicate with each other in small or large groups or on an individual basis (Jain & Jain, 2015, p. 181). Learner-content interaction means students are working with the instructional materials or activities (Jain & Jain, 2015, p. 181). Learner-course management system interaction allows a student to navigate through the online instruction, complete and submit assignments, and track their progress and grades (Jain & Jain, 2015, p. 181). Instructor-learner interaction occurs when the instructor and students work and communicate with each other (Jain & Jain, 2015, p. 181).

Evidence from the Literature

Jain and Jain (2015) acknowledge that the problem of learner isolation is grounded in the fact that too much of our practice in distance education is not evidence-based and our actions and instructional designs are often grounded on untested assumptions about the value of the modes of interaction (or lack thereof) (p. 181). Du et al. (2013) found that many nursing students feel isolated in distance education contexts as they lack the confidence needed to use computers and other information technology tools. The effects of isolation seem to be more pronounced in female students who yearn for more intimacy in communication venues (Young & Paterson, 2013, p. 130). For example, one study found that female students were more likely than their male counterparts to drop out of an online education course due to feelings of isolation (Wells & Dellinger, 2011). Additionally, isolated students are less likely to engage in activities that could improve their learning outcomes and performance motivation (Furness & Kaltner, 2015).

Some of the advantages of distance education include more flexibility, mobility, customization to students needs, lack of travel/accessibility, global outlook, many technological possibilities, as well as low cost. The main disadvantages include lack of control, incapacity to appeal to all learning styles, student isolation, technological issues, and lack of computer competency; this presentation deals with the issue of STUDENT ISOLATION.

Problem Description

Main Takeaway from the Literature

Based on these elucidations, it is evident that the issue of student isolation presents a major challenge in attempts by nursing students to achieve the needed education and skills through distance learning

To ensure the effectiveness of distance education, it is important for relevant stakeholders in nursing education to design and implement evidence-based courses with the capacity to minimize learner isolation and increase interactions in online learning contexts

What is Needed?

Based on the reviewed evidence, an effective online nursing course should incorporate elements that not only enhance interactions, discussions, and competition among students but also ensure that students and instructors are provided with an enabling framework to share values, perspectives, and ideas

Additionally, distance education should have the capacity to enhance rapport between students and their instructors

Types of interactions that need to be stressed in distance education to reduce learner isolation:

Learner-learner interactions
Learner-content interactions
Learner-course management system interactions
Instructor-learner interactions

Significance of Issue to Distance Education

Learner isolation in online learning contexts has impacted negatively on the ability of the distance education model to achieve the intended outcomes. For ease of understanding, the impacts are divided into three components namely retention, motivation, and empowerment.

Retention

Research is consistent that learner isolation leads to high dropout rates among nursing students enrolled in distance education (Wells & Dellinger, 2011). Gilmore and Lyons (2012) argue that learner isolation is a significant contributor to low retention rates for online nursing programs and continues to discourage many nurses from upgrading their skills and knowledge through distance education. The study by Gunderson, Theiss, Wood, and Conti-OHare (2014) found that retention rates for online nursing programs are low compared to traditional classroom settings because distance education tends to isolate students from the actual learning and practice environment. For example, nursing students may become isolated when they feel that they may not be able to transfer the theoretical knowledge learned in virtue environments to real practice settings, leading to the decision to drop the online course. Available literature demonstrates that estimates of the failed retention rate for distance education undergraduates range from 20 to 50 percent, and that distance education administrators believe the failed retention rate for online courses maybe 10 to 20 percent higher than face-to-face courses (Hill, n.d., p. 2).

Motivation

Once students feel isolated in distance education contexts, they are less likely to have the needed performance motivation (Du et al., 2013). The effective construct of motivation fulfills many important functions in the educational process and is positively associated with feelings of satisfaction with learning outcomes in online courses (Gunderson et al., 2014). Available literature also demonstrates that, when students feel isolated in online learning contexts, they are more likely not to develop the motivational factors that increase their urge to be competitive in learning and practice environments (Young & Paterson, 2013). It is important to note that, in distance learning contexts, the students lack the immediate support of the instructor who normally motivates them in traditional classroom contexts, further compounding the issue of learner isolation (Wells & Dellinger, 2011). The motivation construct demonstrates that distance learners require additional support that may not be required of students in face-to-face classrooms (Gilmore & Lyons, 2012, p. 45).

Student retention and motivation are intricately related in that students who are less motivated by their educational environments are more likely to drop out of school than those who feel more motivated. Available literature demonstrates that retention and motivation issues have their main origins in learner isolation (Young & Paterson, 2013).

Empowerment

A major objective of nursing education is to empower students with the skills and competencies required to provide quality patient care in practice settings (Wells & Dellinger, 2011). However, the available evidence demonstrates that the issue of learner isolation has the capacity to affect the realization of this objective due to its association with feelings of disempowerment and frustration (Young & Paterson, 2013). The relationship between learner isolation and empowerment is linear in that students that report more integration into their educational programs are also more likely to be empowered than those who are isolated from their learning contexts and peers (Mutea & Cullen, 2012). Since nursing empowerment is critical in the provision of quality care outcomes, nursing students who enroll in distance education programs may find it difficult to perform well once they join practice environments (Jain & Jain, 2015). Based on these observations, it can be justifiably argued that the issue of learner isolation in distance learning may affect the capacity of the student to provide quality care to patients once he or she joins formal employment.

Students can never be empowered if they feel isolated from their learning environments, teachers, and peers (Young & Paterson, 2013). Lack of empowerment has been positively associated with several negative outcomes, such as the inability of students to develop necessary skills and competencies, low motivation in educational and practice areas, and attainment of unsatisfactory grades (Young & Paterson, 2013).

Strategies to Address the Challenges Posed by the Issue

The pertinent challenges raised by the issue of learner isolation can be condensed into three components, namely:

Retention problems
Lack of performance motivation
Empowerment deficits

The evidence-based strategies that could be used to address these challenges are described as follows.

Retention Problems

Introduce group learning processes to enhance interactions the larger the group size the higher is the quality and quantity of the interactions (Jain & Jain, 2015, p. 182). Use video conferencing to address the issues of

isolation and loss of face-to-face interaction with instructors and peers (Wells & Delinger, 2011, p. 406). Create a friendly environment in which the students feel comfortable sharing their opinion about the content (Jain & Jain, 2015, 183). For example stakeholders can design an introduction section or arrange for frequent phone conversations with learners with the view to developing a friendly and social environment in which students feel comfortable to engage in learning activities.

Evidence demonstrates a strong positive relationship between group size (six to 10 students) and overall meaningful interactions (learner-content, learner-course management system, learner-learner, and instructor-learner) in distance learning contexts (Jain & Jain, 2015). Group learning processes and creating a learner-friendly environment address the issue of learner isolation by reinforcing inclusivity and increasing positive interactions; this, in turn, improves retention.

Lack of Performance Motivation

Conduct orientation programs to ensure that students develop positive perceptions of the technological tools used in the learning environment (Wells & Dellinger, 2011). Example Stakeholders can use remote orientations, face-to-face orientations, and combined face-to-face with remote orientations to motivate students enrolled in distance education programs and ensure that they are comfortable with using various technological tools to learn. Such orientation programs, according to Gilmore and Lyons (2012), not only improve performance motivation but also reduce student attrition. Orientations also improve the students sense of belonging to the academic community, hence effectively reducing learner isolation (Gilmore & Lyons, 2012). Stakeholders could also use student mentoring and encouragement to motivate students and reduce incidences of learner isolation (Gilmore & Lyons, 2012). Lastly, stakeholders could use available technological tools to provide students with the opportunity to meet with their tutors and the broader learning community.

Evidence shows that If learners have positive perceptions of their interactions with the technological tools of the learning environment, it is likely that they will also have positive perceptions of their interactions with faculty and other learners (Wells & Dellinger, 2011, p. 406). Such orientation programs should include the following components that are consistent with educational standards for distance learning: program overview, welcome, and introduction; review of each online course; review of student support services; university and program policies; registration and advisement processes; computer technology services and technological applications used in the program; orientation to the online library and technological applications used in the program; orientation to the online library and search engines; orientation to the WebCT/Blackboard course and course navigation; review of practice course; orientation to practice course; social interaction in the virtual environment; one-on-one assistance with course tools, navigation and downloads; and question and answer session (Gilmore & Lyons, 2012).

Empowerment Deficits

Develop feedback systems to address student issues in a timely and spontaneous manner (Gunderson et al., 2014). Employ available technology tools to ensure that students have round-the-clock access to learning resources. Develop the confidence of students in the use of computer resources and other information technology tools normally used in distance learning contexts to disseminate learning materials (Young & Paterson, 2013). Develop distance learning contexts that permit flexibility in the use of students time and also underscore convenience and accessibility (Young & Paterson, 2013).

Learner isolation is also related to other negative outcomes, such as lack of student engagement in the educational process, lack of motivation, lack of student satisfaction with the institutional environment, as well as student interaction deficits (Hill, n.d.). These outcomes have the capacity to lower the performance of students in distance learning contexts, as well as affect their corroborations and interactions.

Conclusion

This presentation has identified the issue of learner isolation and discussed how the issue continues to impact negatively on the ability of the distance education model to achieve its intended outcomes. An analysis of the significance of the issue shows that learner isolation is directly associated with student retention challenges, lack of motivation, and student empowerment deficits. These challenges are negatively associated with student satisfaction, interaction, and socialization in web-based learning environments, hence the need to address them using the identified strategies. According to the presented evidence, it is evident that the described strategies have the capacity to minimize learner isolation and increase interactions in online learning contexts.

Overall, this presentation has been successful in demonstrating that the issue of learner isolation presents a major challenge in distance learning contexts that must be addressed through the strategies identified here.

References

Du, S., Liu, Z., Liu, S., Yin, H., Xu, G., Zhang, H., & Wang, A. (2013). Web-based distance learning for nurse education: A systematic review. International Nursing Review, 60, 167-177. Web.

Furness, L., & Kaltner, M. (2015). Facilitating student education and support using videoconference. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 23, 249-253. Web.

Gilmore, M., & Lyons, E.M. (2012). Nursing 911: An orientation program to improve retention of online RN-BSN students. Nursing Education Perspectives, 33(1), 45-47. Web.

Gunderson, B.J., Theiss, M.A., Wood, L.K., & Conti-OHare, M. (2014). Using a telephone call to increase social presence in online classes. Nursing Education Perspectives, 35, 338-339. Web.

Hill, C. (n.d.). Strategies for increasing online student retention and satisfaction. Web.

Jain, S., & Jain, P. (2015). Designing interactive online courses. Education, 36, 179-191. Web.

Mutea, N., & Cullen, D. (2012). Kenya and distance education: A model to advance graduate nursing. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 18, 417-422. Web.

Wells, M.I., & Dellinger, A.B. (2011). The effect of type of learning environment and perceived learning among graduate nursing students. Nursing Education Perspectives, 32, 406-410. Web.

Young, L.E., & Paterson, B.L. (2013). Teaching nurses: Developing a student-centered learning environment (2nd ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

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