The effect of collaboration and utilisation of academic coaches in online learning environments
Abstract
A nursing shortage is being felt across the US and the problem was only amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic that began in late 2019. There are many registered nurses (RN) who hold an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree; however, hiring new RNs with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is a national priority. Therefore, the University System of Georgia (USG) established a Cooperative Academic Agreement of 13 institutions in Georgia which offer the RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) programme. In an attempt to increase pre-licensure programme enrolment and capacity, RN to BSN faculty were released to teach in pre-licensure programmes. For the Cooperative Academic Agreement to be utilised to its full potential, academic coaches were hired to assist students in the successful progression through the collaborative courses. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine students’ perceptions of support provided by academic coaches in an online learning environment. To assess students’ perception, the researchers added five items to the course evaluation administered in the collaborative courses. Although the response rate was low, the results from the course evaluations suggest that students perceived the academic coaches positively contributed to their academic success.
The full article is available to subscribers to this journal (subscription is free).
Author's Biography
Brittany Grissette Dr. Brittany Grissette is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Columbus State University. She is a published author and has been awarded several university grants. Brittany’s primary research interests include online learning, student success, maternal mental health and help-seeking behaviour. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing from Georgia State University, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Troy University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Auburn University.
Amanda Hawkins is an Associate Professor of Nursing and coordinates the RN-BSN programme at Columbus State University. She enjoys speaking at conferences and has enthusiastically presented internationally, nationally and many times at the state and local level. She is a published author and has been awarded several university grants. She holds an Associate of Science in Nursing from Columbus State University, Bachelor of Science in Nursing from George Mason University and a Master of Science in Nursing from Troy University.
Sarah Kuck Dr. Sarah Kuck is the Executive Director of Academics for USG eCampus and a Professor of Political Science at Albany State University. Sarah is passionate about issues associated with adult learners in higher education including distance education, degree completion and credit for prior learning. Additionally, she is an award-winning distance educator who is actively engaged in issues associated with quality online education. She earned a Doctorate in Public Administration from Valdosta State University, a Master’s degree in International Comparative Politics from Troy University and a Bachelor’s degree in political science from Georgia State University. Sarah holds national certifications from the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning as a Prior Learning Assessor and a Certificate of Mastery in Prior Learning Assessment.
Citation
Grissette, Brittany, Hawkins, Amanda and Kuck, Sarah (2023, December 1). The effect of collaboration and utilisation of academic coaches in online learning environments. In the Advances in Online Education: A Peer-Reviewed Journal, Volume 2, Issue 2. https://doi.org/10.69554/MTMD8785.
Publications LLP