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Over the past decade, online education has become common place. Critics of online education point to the possible loss of social interaction and interpersonal connections in this educational medium. Broadly, our research focus is how human to human interactions can be sustained and even enhanced in online classrooms. Specifically, this paper focuses on how one Artistic Pedagogical Technology called Photovoice (Perry & Edwards, 2010) may support these valued social interactions. Using a purposive sample of 46 graduate students in a large online university, online interactions resulting from the teaching strategy of Photovoice were analyzed for presence of authentic voice and authentic interaction. Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) authenticity criteria were adapted to evaluate Photovoice as an authentic medium. The results of this study show support for the use of Photovoice as a medium for becoming “real” or authentic to one another and as a modality of sustaining authentic interaction in the online environment.

This paper presents findings from a qualitative descriptive study that explored the professional socialization experiences of Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) who attended an online university to earn a Baccalaureate degree in nursing (BN), a prerequisite to writing the Canadian Registered Nurse (RN) qualifying exam. The project was framed from a constructivist worldview and Haas and Shaffir's theory of legitimation. Participants were 27 nurses in a Post-LPN to BN program who came from across Canada to complete required practicums. Data was collected from digital recordings of four focus groups held in different cities. Transcripts were analyzed for themes and confirmed with participants through member checking. Two overarching themes were identified and are presented to explain how these unique adult learners sought to legitimize their emerging identity as Registered Nurses (RNs). First, Post-LPN to BN students need little, if any, further legitimation to affirm their identities as “nurse.” Second, practicum interactions with instructors and new clinical experiences are key socializing agents.