This poster summarises a Community Of Practice developed in 2010 used as part of an online top up nursing degree programme in Ireland. Communities of Practice (COP) are recognised as effective frameworks for online learning (Gunawardena et al 2009) and are identified as a key activity under partnership networks for nursing by the World Health Organisation (WHO 2011 p.18). COP facilitate the creation of resources to provide a framework for situated student learning and offer opportunities for collaboration. Previous online resources offered to students in the School of Nursing (SON) were predominantly using associationist and constructivist learning approaches. For example the Virtual Learning Environment Moodle presented theoretical material to students using a structured sequential approach with resources such as MS PowerPoint with linked assessment and feedback routines such as chat forums. Moving forward with the online approach both on and off campus lecturers in SON are now expanding upon their teaching brief to engage with students in a COP using virtual patients aligned to module learning outcomes.
This poster will present an overview of virtual patients who will comprise of a blend of differing Web 2.0 technologies including social media and will complement existing learning infrastructures within DCU. By delivering online programmes including the perspectives of associationist cognitive and situative learning it is anticipated that students will experience a richer online learning environment based on the three main behavioural frameworks i.e. learning as a skill learning to achieve understanding and learning as part of a social practice (Mayes and deFreitas 2004). The Universities Colleges Information Systems Association survey suggests cultural changes in how lecturers engage in teaching and learning activity is important in the development of online curricula in spite of dwindling resources (UCISA 2010 p.8). This poster will present how one academic institution is capitalising on existing research and using limited resources to achieve a quality online enhanced learning experience for students.
