“Teaching Through Your Fingertips”: A Descriptive Study to Understand the Experiences and Needs of Online Educators in Postgraduate Nursing Education in Australia

Abstract

Introduction Even before COVID-19, enrolments in online postgraduate nursing and midwifery courses were growing globally. Teaching into planned online courses requires pedagogical considerations unique to the context. Objective The objective of this descriptive mixed methods study was to understand the experiences and needs of Australian online educators who taught into planned online postgraduate nursing or midwifery courses. Methods A 55-item online survey captured the experiences and needs of participants. This paper reports on the analysis of participants’ qualitative responses in this survey, analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Forty-nine postgraduate educators participated in this study. Results Five core themes were identified: time is precious; redefining the educator role; understanding the pedagogical shift; online and alone; and learning to teach online. Many educators report lacking the skills and confidence to deliver high-quality education to postgraduate students through their fingertips. Conclusion This research highlighted that online educators need support through resources, education, and professional development.