Examining Faculty’s Attitude Toward Abilities to Teach Online

Abstract

Background: Online teaching behavior and teachers' acceptance of it can have an impact, as its acceptance will play a vital role in the learning process. E-learning, distance education, and accredited courses previously were part of informal learning. However, it appears that it can gradually replace the formal education system. On the other hand, online courses eliminate practical components such as face-to-face training, and clinical and laboratory sessions; As a result, learners lose the opportunity to train, cooperate and build relationships.      

Objectives: This study aimed to describe the faculty members’ attitudes toward readiness to teach online at Iraqi universities, and to identify the relationship between some of the demographic factors (age, gender, and educational status) and their attitudes toward using online teaching.     

Methodology: A descriptive exploratory design was conducted, and an online questionnaire was administered to (99) nursing faculties from different Iraqi universities between 1st March and 20th May 2022. A standardized questionnaire was used to achieve objectives of the study. Permission was granted through informational consent to collect data from the participants.  Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics through SPSS program (V.24).                                                                                 

Results: The descriptive data analysis revealed that the age range of the participants represented (48.5 %), (MS=2.1, SD= 0.89), is primarily between (36-45) years old. about half of participants (50.5%) had a Master of Science in Nursing degree (MS=2.15, SD=0.64). The inferential statistics revealed a substantial relationship between age of the participants and items related to utilizing various instructional techniques in an online setting (χ2 (2, N =99 = 26.562, p < 0.05), and managing course time with facilitation techniques (χ2 (2, N =99 = 25.098, p < 0.05). Additionally, a significant relationship was found between the gender of the participants and item related to communicating with students via email (χ2 (2, N =99 = 10.737, p < 0.05). Furthermore, a significant relationship was discovered between participants' educational level and items related to spending weekly hours to grade assignments (χ2 (2, N =99 = 21.889, p < 0.05).        

Conclusion: The development of creative teaching strategies and curricula that cater to the demands of tomorrow's nurses has become a problem for nursing education programs today, with the rapid changes in the methods of communication and information