Distance Learning Woes

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I'm currently taking my first RN-BSN class, with an accredited online program through my state university system. I am so frustrated. The class consists of reading textbooks, posting on discussion boards in APA format, writing papers, and responding X number of times to other students' posts. There are no lectures from the teacher at all: no powerpoints, no video or audio. Most questions to the teacher get the response "use the guidelines in the syllabus." Everything is nitpicky, grading is harsh, I will be happy with B's. The teacher is more like a referee.

I went to college before I became a nurse and I finished. I encountered some classes where the teacher was light on lecturing, but never a class that took points off for incorrect margins on your paper or not enough "class participation". I hope all the other classes in the program are not like this, because I feel like I am learning very little for all the money I paid. For those who have finished online RN-BSN or are currently working on it, what has been your experience? Is this typical or not?

In my own experiences my "loner" personality has served me well as a distance student. It can feel disconnected and like you have been abandoned otherwise. Hope it gets better for you.

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Some instructors are better than others, for sure. There were a couple in my RN-BSN program that were very, very hands-off, for lack of a better term. Others were really gifted in guiding discussion and sparking thought-provoking discussions that I really enjoyed. I hope your program experience improves.

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