Degree Completion Nursing Students Readiness to Learn in the Online Environment in Uganda

Abstract

The global call to improve the quality of healthcare, and the restructuring of job descriptions require nurses to return to school to attain the necessary qualifications. Some nursing degree completing programs available in Uganda provide blended learning which combines the traditional classroom and online learning. However, learning online requires students to be equipped with readiness competences which include computer/internet and online communication self-efficacy, self-directed learning, time management, study habits, and institutional support from peers and instructors. This quantitative arm of the study explored the self-efficacy of the readiness competences of the 226 nursing students in the degree completion programs and the predictors of readiness to learn online. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Slightly over half of the students (58%) were ready to learn online. The finding indicates a moderate level of readiness where to attain readiness category required at least 76% of the students to be ready to learn online. The students reported a high level of readiness in self-directed learning, time management, study habits, and institutional support but lower readiness levels in online communication and computer/internet self-efficacy. All competences were significantly correlated and predicted readiness, suggesting their interdependence in contributing to readiness to learn online. Computer and online communication self-efficacy were the strongest predictors of readiness to learn online, whereas self-directed learning and institutional support were the weakest. The Readiness to Learn Online Model (RLOM) predicted 88% of the readiness and therefore presumed to be very good in assessing online learning readiness. The findings necessitate the institutions to assess students before they enter the online programs and to provide resources, training and continuously persuade them to improve their self-efficacy.

Degree Completion Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Their Readiness to Learn Online

“…The readiness competences were also found to be highly and significantly correlated; predicting 88% of the variance in readiness to learn online. However, a low level of readiness was found among 42% of the students which reflected a gap likely associated with students' perceptions of their self-efficacy of online learning readiness [16].…”

“…The findings of this study provided useful information to universities, employers and families that can be used to support the students' transition to online learning. Therefore, the findings are recommended to the nursing institutions to consider when enrolling students in online programs, as well as assessing them using The Readiness to Learn Online Model (RLOM) [16]. The findings are also recommended to inform prospective students the support they need from the community before they enroll in online learning programs.…”

“…The first phase of the study occurred between September 2020 and June 2021. During this phase, self-administered surveys that comprised 57 items developed by the researcher were completed by 226 BSNcompletion students from two universities in Uganda [16]. The second and qualitative phase of the study occurred between September and October 2021 to provide a more in-depth understanding of the student experiences and perceptions in an online learning program.…”

“…This paper presents the qualitative findings from a mixed-method study conducted in 2020 to 2021 with students enrolled in BSN completion programs at two universities in Uganda. The quantitative phase explored the nursing students' self-efficacy of their technology competences, personal attributes that contributed to their readiness to learn online, and the institutional support that promoted their readiness [16]. The qualitative phase explored students' perceptions of their readiness to learn online.…”