Streamlining Instructional Technology in a College of Nursing

Background: Nursing education relies on the application of health technologies to facilitate the development of student knowledge and clinically competent skills. The associated integration of advanced instructional technology has led to the evolution in learning modalities, pedagogical foundations, faculty responsibilities, and learning outcomes. Coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, the long-term role of digital technologies have entrenched nursing education.

Purpose: The college of nursing identified a need for a centralized decision-making structure to provide faculty with a forum to address instructional technology needs and requests. The shared governance process raises awareness of coexisting resource, reduces duplication of similar technology solutions, establish a mechanism to facilitate section and need for new technology, and achieves consensus through multistakeholder discussions.

Methods: The dean established an educational technology (ET) committee representing each nursing specialty program, faculty support group, finance, and information technology departments for the inaugural year. The specialty director of the healthcare informatics program and the lead instructional design specialist were appointed co-chairs. The committee meets monthly to establish a standardized process, identify deliverables, and vet faculty requests for education software and technologies.

Results: The inaugural year deliverables included the creation of a committee charter, an evolving ET request workflow, electronic ET request form, and a digital product integration board. A total of 9 faculty requests were submitted with 3 requests approved with funding, 2 approved with grant funding or without fees, 1 approved without funding, and 3 pending reviews.

Limitations: The ET committee does not have a budget to fund instructional technology requests. The executive committee determines whether a request will be funded based on the number of nursing specialty programs interested in the technology.

Conclusions: The ET committee provides an important service for the college of nursing. Persistence of the committee continues and funding options are under consideration.

Learning outcome: Participants will gain an understanding of the requirements and challenges to standardize education technologies for nursing academic programing.