Introduction

Nursing, as one of many professions, is typically offered in the traditional face-to-face learning environment. There are online components but the majority of skills, assessments, and clinical are done face to face. Technology advancements have provided the profession with virtual simulation, patient simulators, and mock hospital environments for labs. We have made advancements in technology. However, with the continuing lack of clinical space and recently implemented requirements of social distancing the current technology needs some modifications. The need to for online learning is here and so is the fear of using it.

In the first year, Saskatoon Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing (SCBScN) program there are typically two face-to-face evaluation components. The first is a clinical skills exam and second an assessment exam. In March 2020, we were required to change from face to face learning to online learning in the space of two days. We decided to have the students video tape themselves at home and upload to Google Docs. The students then supplied us with a link to mark their paper. Since they were first year students, we decided to give them a few days to complete both videos. This paper is going to share the experiences of two overly enthusiastic nursing educators and their findings in changing from the traditional face to face OSCE to video OSCE.

In this rapid change into online teaching, there were both benefits and challenges. The benefits we noticed were innovation, increased knowledge and growth, and the ability to be more accurate when marking. The challenges were fewer but significant. The main challenge was the uploading of the exams. We provided students with instructions, which we made, on creating a video exam, and instructions with photos on uploading to Google Docs. The uploading steps were not the challenge rather the file size of the videos were the challenge. Certain students had large video sizes and the upload time was up to 2 hours.

Our videos received unofficial positive feedback from both student and faculty. Multiple students expressed that the video exams were less stressful and decreased anxiety. One student stated that they “enjoyed the practice and gave a better understanding and comfort level by the time they were ready to record”. Another student said that between her dog joining the assessment and her mom’s giggles, the experience was positive and much needed during such a stressful time.

Faculty marking the videos expressed their enjoyment in watching the videos and having the ability to pause, take notes, and re-watch when they felt they weren’t quite sure of a piece. Faculty were even able to ask another faculty member to provide a second opinion when needed. In the traditional face to face OSCE, neither of these were possibility.

This experience was relevant and can influence the way we perceive our classes. No one way is right. Online versus traditional is not one or the other. The delivery of information depends on the cohort we teach. The more material provided, along with more resources, the more deliveries will reach more of our students learning needs. As educators, “we have to be aware of other forms of knowledge and their potential importance to our students, and make sure that we are providing the full range of contents and skills needed for students in a digital age.”  (Bates, 2019).

References

Bates, T. (2019). Teaching in a Digital Age – Chapter 2: The nature of knowledge and the implications for teaching. (2nd ed.). Retrieved from https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/part/chapter-2-the-nature-of-knowledge-and-the-implications-for-teaching/