First Advisor

Aldridge, Michael

Second Advisor

Dunemn, Kathleen N.

First Committee Member

Henry, Melissa

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Document Type

Dissertation

Date Created

8-2024

Department

College of Natural and Health Sciences, Nursing, Nursing Student Work

Abstract

Preparation of new graduate nurses is more important now than ever given the current state of health care. The pandemic has caused online nursing education to be a permanent content delivery modality across all degree programs. Best practices for e-learning only address course organization, instructional materials, learner interaction, course technology, and support while having no regard for the unique learner needs of different degree levels. Online learning success could be determined by how well students are able to self-regulate their learning; however, these behaviors have rarely been measured and compared in nursing students at different degree levels taking online nursing courses. The purpose of this study was to explore and compare the differences in self-regulated learning behaviors of traditional undergraduate and traditional graduate nursing students in online nursing courses. This quantitative comparative descriptive study measured self-regulated learning (SRL) behaviors in traditional undergraduate and traditional graduate nursing students in online nursing courses. An electronic 32-item survey measuring SRL and developed by Artino and Stevens (2009) was utilized for data collection. Demographic data were also collected. A purposeful sample of 100 nursing students—55 traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing undergraduates and 45 traditional graduates in Master of Science in nursing, Doctor of Education, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and Doctor of Philosophy programs from across the United States—participated in the study. Data were exported to Statistical Package for the Social Sciences for analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with non-parametric testing. A statistically significant difference was found when comparing age categories to the task value SRL subscale. Scores in the task value, elaboration, self-efficacy, and critical thinking subscales were not statistically significant between undergraduate and graduate nursing students in online courses. Scores between healthcare experience were also not statistically significant with SRL subscale comparisons. Recommendations for faculty based on this study included give more support and instructional strategies to undergraduate nursing students in online nursing courses; self-regulated learning ought to be assessed at the start of a course; an assessment of SRL at the beginning of a course would establish a baseline that could be useful to both students and faculty; scaffolding should be implemented to help students improve their self-regulated learning skills; and professional development should be completed to learn the unique competencies required for online teaching. More research is needed in assessing SRL in real time, possibly with the use of tracking or artificial intelligence and studying how SRL affects educational outcomes.

Abstract Format

html

Extent

134 pages

Local Identifiers

Panaitisor_unco_0161D_11246.pdf

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

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