BACKGROUND: Online education has become a key instructional delivery method in nursing education; however, limited understanding exists about what it is like to teach online. The aim of this study was to uncover the experience of teaching online in nursing education. METHOD: The sample for this phenomenological study included 14 nursing faculty who completed at least 50% of their teaching workload assignment in fully online courses in baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral nursing programs. Data were collected through the use of a demographic questionnaire and personal interviews. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from the data: (a) Looking at a Lot of Moving Parts, (b) Always Learning New Things, (c) Going Back and Forth, and (d) Time Is a Blessing and a Curse. CONCLUSION: Online teaching in nursing education differs from traditional classroom teaching in a variety of ways. Policies and guidelines that govern faculty teaching should encompass the identified intricacies of online teaching. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(6):343-349.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.
BACKGROUND: Online education has become a key instructional delivery method in nursing education; however, limited understanding exists about what it is like to teach online. The aim of this study was to uncover the experience of teaching online in nursing education. METHOD: The sample for this phenomenological study included 14 nursing faculty who completed at least 50% of their teaching workload assignment in fully online courses in baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral nursing programs. Data were collected through the use of a demographic questionnaire and personal interviews. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from the data: (a) Looking at a Lot of Moving Parts, (b) Always Learning New Things, (c) Going Back and Forth, and (d) Time Is a Blessing and a Curse. CONCLUSION: Online teaching in nursing education differs from traditional classroom teaching in a variety of ways. Policies and guidelines that govern faculty teaching should encompass the identified intricacies of online teaching. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(6):343-349.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.