Denise Kent
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I teach Professional Nursing I, NURS 204, in the College of Nursing and traditionally taught this course in a lecture hall. This Fall I have 97 juniors in their first semester of nursing school and we are 100% online. These students are bright and goal-oriented but they are new to nursing and to online learning.
| Clinical Assistant Professor | Fall 2020 | Department of Nursing
Denise Kent Heading link
Now more than ever, faculty are challenged to create innovative learning experiences for students while interacting with them over Zoom. Everyone’s stress level is high, and we are all uncertain about how to teach and learn in this nontraditional format. I teach Professional Nursing I, NURS 204, which is traditionally taught face to face in a lecture hall. This Fall there are 97 juniors in their first semester of nursing school, and we are 100% online. Students are bright and goal-oriented, but they are new to nursing and to online learning. As a result, my teaching style is centered around three key areas: authenticity, transparency, and inclusivity. With these three pillars as my compass north, I designed my Zoom classroom.
Authenticity: bring your “real” self to the classroom to build connections with your students. Authenticity means sharing with students that you are a person too, with your own strengths and weaknesses. Zoom offers the opportunity to demonstrate authenticity by opening the session 10 minutes before the class starts. During that time we can chat about anything, from how school is going to weekend plans. It’s a great way to get to know your students and for them to get to know you. I also am the last person to sign off and close the Zoom meeting, just like I would be the last person to leave the classroom and turn off the lights. This gives students the opportunity to speak more privately after class if they so choose. From these two small efforts, I have learned who has a new puppy, who is stressed about school, and what content from the previous week needs to be reviewed. Authenticity between faculty and students not only feels good, but it also leads to better student outcomes.
Transparency: be open and honest about what you do and how you do it. When something goes wrong, own it and don’t hide behind mistakes. Make course expectations clear and share where the resources are to support them. I often tell my students to think of me as a “coach.” At the beginning of each class, I review next week’s assignments. If there is a bigger project due in the coming weeks, I talk about how to be successful with the larger assignment. I review the rubric in class and allow for questions and answers. I follow-up by email with links to available writing, counseling, and tutoring center resources on campus. I post the links directly in Blackboard along with health science library resources to help them achieve success. Talking honestly about upcoming assignments, helping them plan for their success, and coaching them through it all demonstrate transparency, which everyone appreciates.
Inclusivity: make everyone feel comfortable participating in class and valued for their contributions. The topics presented in class discussions drive students to reflect on patient experiences they have had and to reevaluate actions they took or saw others take. As faculty, we must be aware that not everyone is comfortable speaking in a large Zoom meeting. For that reason, I encourage students to post in the chat if they prefer and we will pick up their questions and comments from there. I also use the breakout room feature so students can have 3-4 person discussions with their peers on our topics. As the faculty, I frequently join the small group discussions in the breakout rooms and facilitate the discussion or just listen in. Offering various ways for students to participate in the Zoom classroom and all feel valued is one way we can demonstrate inclusivity to all students.
With these three pillars guiding my Zoom classroom, NURS 204 is meeting and exceeding all of its course objectives. Most students attend each week and join the Zoom session before the start of class to connect with faculty and fellow students. Each week more people contribute to our discussions by joining on camera and/or using the chat feature. While students still feel a tremendous amount of stress due to uncertainty and nontraditional teaching environments, I can see they are learning to adapt and embrace the upside of what this technology can offer to teaching and learning.
Denise Kent PhD, RN, APN
Department of Nursing
Department of Nursing