title: Challenges and opportunities in graduate nursing education by distributed learning in Canada and Brazil.
abstract: In this paper, the authors share their experience related to graduate nursing programs offered by distributed learning (DL) in Canada and Brazil. Although degrees offered by DL are often the subject of criticism, the authors' experience has been that learning outcomes have been very good. Nevertheless, a number of challenges and opportunities have been encountered including those associated with flexibility of the program, delivering practice courses at a distance, facilitating interaction, faculty workload and preparation and student support, Newer technologies that may assist in this effort are identified. Despite the challenges encountered, students rate the program highly and ongoing efforts are underway to ensure excellence of such flexible innovative graduate programs in nursing. The authors argue that despite the challenges, DL programs offer high quality graduate education that meets the needs of many nurses.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. anita.molzahn@ualberta.ca
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molzahn
authors.forename: Marjorie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Banister
authors.forename: Laurene
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sheilds
authors.forename: Rosalie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Starzomski
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gamroth
authors.forename: Lisiane Girardi
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Paskulin
authors.forename: Denise Tolfo
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Silveira
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D002170:Canada; D020375:Education, Distance; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000379:methods*