A Survey of Nurses' Attitudes Toward Distance Education and the Educational Use of 3-D Virtual Environments

Abstract

Using funds provided through the Medical Library Association's 2008 Donald A. B. Lindberg Research Fellowship, librarians at Eastern University conducted a survey to assess nurses’ attitudes and perceptions about (1) the effectiveness of distance education in delivering academic content; (2) whether distance learning promoted socialization and fostered professionalization; and (3) the use of an online immersive environment, such as the virtual world Second Life, as a tool to deliver distance education. Results from the survey indicated a positive attitude from nurses at all academic levels toward distance education and a willingness to explore the academic use of a virtual environment.

KEYWORDS:

• Distance education
• distance reference
• gaming
• immersive learning environments
• nursing education
• professionalization
• Second Life
• socialization
• surveys
• three-dimensional learning environments
• virtual reality
• virtual worlds

Notes

*The categories had respondents reported to be both student and faculty in an online class.