SOLO Assignment Module 3 by Nick Curry https://padlet.com/Nick_Curry/heqe5auz65lw06v en-us 2023-08-01 06:23:41 UTC 2026-03-04 10:46:48 UTC hello@padlet.com Learning Point #2: How Student Support Services Affect Program Enrollment Nick_Curry https://padlet.com/Nick_Curry/heqe5auz65lw06v/wish/2654011054 How Student Support Services Affect Program Enrollment

Student support services are services provided by the school that improve course pass rates, student success, and program enrollment. The most common support service is academic advising. This plays an important role in program effectiveness as it influences students’ success from enrollment to completion (Billings & Halstead, 2020, pp. 549).

Presence of absence of student support services impacts program enrollment because prospective students are unlikely to pick a program, they feel has inadequate student support. Therefore, nursing programs should be evaluated for presence of adequate support services. This assessment should be done at the programs conception, and routinely there after based on NCLEX pass rates, graduation rates, alumni activity, and program enrollment as these are all indirect indicators of sufficient student support services.


Additional Learning:

It would be beneficial to learn other variables that influence a student’s program success. This information could be used to improve the program by adding additional support resources where necessary. For example, other aspects that influence a student’s success are housing, health services, academic support services, and cocurricular activities (Billings & Halstead, 2020, pp. 549). If our nursing program was insufficient in any one of these areas, we as educators have the influence to propose a change. In most cases this would likely be connecting students to the resources they need like a food bank, health clinic, or disability resource center.


Putting Learning to Practice:

An example of putting student support services in practice is ensuring UNLV’s academic success team is reaching out to students when necessary. I can provide a practical example of this. I am currently co-teaching NURS 313-R with Ericka Yelle. We have two groups of students in Med-surg clinicals at UMC. We completed midterm evaluations of students using the E-value software. In E-value we were able to see when UNLV’s academic success team had reached out to students and for what reason. The most common reason was remediation of an exam. As educators we should follow up with students to see how well they are being supported and assess if additional support is required. Educators should advocate and be the liaison between students and their support services.


References:

Billings, D. M., & Halstead, J. A. (2020). Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty (6th ed.). Elsevier.

Walker, D., & Verklan, T. (2016). Peer mentoring during practicum to reduce anxiety in first-semester nursing students. Journal of Nursing Education, 55(11), 651–654. 10.3928/01484834-20161011-08

]]> 2023-08-01 06:34:14 UTC https://padlet.com/Nick_Curry/heqe5auz65lw06v/wish/2654011054 Learning Point #1: Web-Based Nursing Education Nick_Curry https://padlet.com/Nick_Curry/heqe5auz65lw06v/wish/2654016594 Web-Based Nursing Education

Web-based education is a form of distance education which has students complete most studies entirely online through asynchronous discussion boards and written assignments (Deboor & Keating, 2023, pp. 234). Through completing the module 3 readings I learned the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing a web-based model for nursing education.

Advantages of web-based education for nursing include flexible timelines for students, curriculum integrity, and active participation of all students. Disadvantages include the need for technical support, course construction, and a lack of fact-to-face encounters with faculty and students.


Additional Learning:

It would be beneficial to understand what barriers exist with online learning for a nursing curriculum. Web-based learning is not suitable for clinical components or skills demonstrations. Furthermore, students may have connectivity issues, or a lack of computer literacy required for use of e-learning software. 

Anecdotally I can say during my undergraduate at UNLV the simulated city used in community health class was clunky and difficult to navigate at best. I understand the school was making quick accommodations in the face of COVID uncertainty, but unreliable software programs are a very real issue. On the flip side one could argue that web-based education allowed for the community class to continue during COVID when it would otherwise be impractical to do so.

Recognizing the shortcomings of web-based learning is important because as future educators we should advocate for the appropriate use of it. An example of this is Blended of Hybrid classes. Web-based learning used in conjunction with synchronous session can provide students an excellent learning experience. 


Putting Learning to Practice:

Keeping the strengths and weaknesses of web-based learning in mind will impact our practice as nurse educators. An example of putting this to practice would be applying adult learning theory in web-based classes. Because most learning strategies offered in these formats are learner-centered and facilitate active student participation in the process rather than the traditional methods of presenting information to the student, adult learning theory should be used (Deboor & Keating, 2023 pp.235). 

Adult learning theory lends itself well to the web-based framework because it requires learners to be self-directed. As cohort sizes continue to grow and classrooms get bigger, online learning will be utilized more. We should become comfortable with utilizing this strategy in conjunction with adult learning theory to help meet the increasing demands of nursing school to produce state licensed nurses.   


References:

DeBoor, S. S., & Keating, S. B. (2023). Keating’s curriculum development and evaluation in nursing education. Springer Publishing

Mukhalalati, B. A., & Taylor, A. (2019). Adult learning theories in context: A quick guide for healthcare professional educators. Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 6. https://doi.org/10.1177/2382120519840332 ]]> 2023-08-01 06:44:52 UTC https://padlet.com/Nick_Curry/heqe5auz65lw06v/wish/2654016594