Nursing education and complexity pedagogy: Faculty experiences with an e-learning platform

Abstract

Objective: Nine nursing faculty explored the effectiveness of teaching undergraduate and graduate nursing courses using a complexity-based pedagogy with an e-learning platform. Complexity pedagogy requires a commitment by educators to reside within a networked community of teachers-learners where all participants contribute to an organically growing curriculum over the course of study.

Methods: The approach is non-linear and student-centered. Faculty co-developed course outlines, resources for teaching learning, and regularly connected over a two-year time frame to mentor each other, strategize, and share resources. Individual faculty first wrote about their experiences of e-learning with complexity pedagogy and then collaborated to generate this descriptive report.

Results: Faculty reported enhanced student-student engagement and higher quality critical thinking than experienced previously with traditional e-learning platforms.

Conclusions: This article suggests complexity pedagogy offers quality education and merits further exploration.