Abstract:

For many nurses, especially those in remote areas, those in underdeveloped countries, or those serving in the military around the world, online education is their only avenue to pursue educational goals and to acquire the skills necessary for success in leadership positions. Unique teaching and learning strategies are required to present complex concepts and applications in an online environment. An additional challenge for faculty is to create an online environment that encourages working professionals to remain actively engaged and focused on achieving course competencies throughout their master’s program as they struggle to balance school, employment, and personal responsibilities. The outcomes analysis course in the MSN Program at Loyola University New Orleans requires students to use the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to complete their outcomes data analysis project in the course. However, because few students entering the course have had any exposure to SPSS, two innovative and successful approaches are employed that enable students to quickly learn the essential SPSS functions necessary to be successful in analyzing outcomes data. First, Adobe Captivate, a screen capture software program, is used to produce online tutorials that navigate students step-by-step through the basic functions of SPSS. Second, DimDim.com, a free open-source computer screen sharing program, is used to tutor individual students online in real time as they conduct statistical analyses using SPSS. This session will demonstrate how Adobe Captivate and DimDim.com are used to teach and support students online as they learn the fundamentals of outcomes analysis using SPSS. Tips for producing effective online tutorials that connect students with the learning activity will be emphasized. Following this presentation, participants will have an understanding of online screen capture techniques that move students rapidly through the SPSS learning process so that they can focus on achieving the strategic competencies associated with outcomes analysis.

Keywords:

online, education, nurses, spss, data analysis, technology, captivate.