Amy Chaffin

COGNITIVE LEARNING APPLIED TO OLDER ADULT LEARNERS AND TECHNOLOGY

ABSTRACT This article addresses the needs of older adults learning computer skills and the place of technology, especially the computer, in enhancing their lives. A model is discussed that illuminates the process used by older adults to learn computer skills. The model may be used to analyze and provide specific aid for common difficulties of the aged. Suggestions and recommendations are proposed that facilitate the older adult learners use of computers. One of the underlying assumptions for the model is that the fundamental interests of the learner can be discerned and, with careful preparation by the teacher, motivation will follow.

Internet teaching methods for use in baccalaureate nursing education.

The advent of technology has had a profound influence on nursing education. As an example, use of the Internet is continually gaining importance. The Internet allows students to learn in a classroom, via distance education, or at home. Many nurse educators now adapt traditional content with ease, using alternative teaching methods that integrate Internet technology. In this article, a variety of alternative adaptations are considered. Focused on baccalaureate nursing education, this article presents a limited review and critique of the literature regarding successful use of the Internet.

The Importance of Community in Online RN-BSN Courses

KEY POINTS Students may feel isolated in online courses due to lack of face-to-face communication. To feel connected, experts recommend that students have a sense of community in online courses. Study results supported the importance of community in the online courses to students, and acknowledged students’ efforts to create a sense of community. S tudents who hold an RN and are enrolled in a BSN course encounter many challenges, including the isolation inherent in online learning. As a result, students may feel unsupported or even withdraw from a course. Given the possibility that an online student might feel isolated, withdraw, and not complete a required online course, the importance of helping students experience satisfaction with online learning becomes crucial. For some online students, a high priority for satisfaction is being able to interact with other students. To increase students’ feeling of connectedness, experts encourage the type of interaction that creates of a sense of community in online courses. Community in online courses has been defined in a variety of ways. It has been viewed as requiring a social dimension that gives students a feeling of personal involvement with one another. Alternatively, it may include the social dimension—meaning students feel personal involvement with each other—and also a learning dimension or the academic content of the course. Other researchers separated social aspects from technology and approached online communities as participants and their interactions within a given learning environment, as opposed to the technologies used to manage the environment. Regardless of the definition, a sense of community answers online RN-BSN students’ need to feel connected. Online learning gives students easy access to degree programs. According to Billings and Halstead, online courses currently hold a significant place in nursing education with a constantly growing number of programs offered for nurses seeking BSN degrees. A contributing factor in the proliferation of BSN degree programs is the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report that recommended 80% of nurses have a baccalaureate degree by 2020. Baccalaureate nursing programs teach content similar to ADN programs, that is, caring for patients and their families when illness occurs and medical treatment is needed. However, baccalaureate programs also focus on evidence-based clinical practice and leadership