Page 221 - International Perspectives on Effective Teaching and Learning in Digital Education

Maximizing Nursing Students’ Engagement in Distance Learning: Strategies and Insights

learning prompt students to participate actively rather than passively ab-
sorbing information.
Hrastinski (9) argues that online learning should be seen as an active
participatory process rather than passive information transmission (Hrast-
inski, 9). This point of view stresses the significance of students and in-
structors interacting, as well as students interacting with each other. Studies
have found that the interaction between students and instructors in online
settings was a significant factor in determining how much students believed
they had learned.
The Community of Inquiry model emphasizes the significance of social,
cognitive, and teaching presence in online learning, as proposed by Garrison
et al. (). Social presence refers to participants’ capacity to connect with
the community, communicate with intention, and foster relationships. Cog-
nitive presence refers to how well students can create and validate meaning
by engaging in continuous reflection and discussion. Teaching presence in-
volves planning, guiding, and leading cognitive and social activities in order
to reach desired learning results. Maintaining a balance of these elements is
essential for promoting involvement.

Communication and Feedback
Effective communication is key to creating a supportive learning environ-
ment. Regular, meaningful interactions between instructors and students
can help reduce feelings of isolation that are common in distance learning
Research highlights that instructor availability, timely feedback, and clear
communication are the most critical factors in fostering student engagement
(Sheridan & Kelly, 1). Providing prompt and constructive feedback helps
students understand how they’re doing and where they can improve, which
can enhance motivation and engagement (Garrison & Vaughan, 8).
Feedback should be timely, specific, and actionable. Effective feedback in-
volves more than just giving information to students; it also entails having a
conversation with them about their learning. This bidirectional communica-
tion can assist students in becoming self-regulated, increasing their ability to
oversee and enhance their performance.
Moreover, the use of multimodal communication channels – such as video
calls, emails, discussion boards, and instant messaging – can cater to differ-
ent communication preferences and needs. In addition, instructors who were
accessible and responsive across multiple channels played a crucial role in in-
fluencing student help-seeking behavior and engagement in online courses
(Whipp & Lorentz, 9).

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