title: Distance education for graduate nursing: one state school's experience.
abstract: This article describes the authors experience in teaching graduate nursing courses to students in the rural state of West Virginia during the past 20 years. The strengths and weaknesses of each technological method are detailed, from both the instructor and student perspectives. The most recently implemented system (fall 2003), Webcasting, is also described. The support required within the institution, particularly from Instructional Design and Information Systems staff, and throughout the state is reviewed. The lessons learned from one school's long history with distance education are analyzed from the theoretical perspectives of adult learners and virtual students. We share our experiences with other nurse educators so they can devote more effort to the curricular aspects of their courses, rather than reinventing the technological wheel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Restoration, West Virginia University School of Nursing, Morgantown 26505, USA. lostrow@hsc.wvu.edu
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ostrow
authors.forename: Rose Ann
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: DiMaria-Ghalili
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003197:Computer Literacy; D003200:Computer User Training; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D003479:Curriculum; D020375:Education, Distance / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005181:Faculty, Nursing; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000458:organization & administration*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D011588:Psychology, Educational; D012424:Rural Population; D017215:Satellite Communications / Q000458:organization & administration; D012944:Social Support; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D014146:Training Support / Q000458:organization & administration; D014903:West Virginia