Introduction: Discussion boards are a staple teaching strategy in online education. Despite this widely used pedagogical tool, students often report that the discussion board is tedious, boring, or lacks application to their course of study or growth in their desired field.

Purpose: This session will provide an example of how one experienced advanced practice educator has used a lay press publication for a virtual book club discussion board in her graduate course.

Methods: The discussion board uses traditional book club prompts to build engagement, increase course satisfaction, and provide connections for deeper learning with difficult concepts in course content. Readings from the lay press book are woven in with weekly readings from a traditional textbook. Examples of success with this teaching strategy, application tips for applying this technique in other courses, examples of prompts and student writing using the book club discussion board, and excerpts from student evaluations will be shared. Finally, participants in this session will be able to develop ideas for applying this pedagogy to their own teaching-learning practice.

Results: Students in this graduate course have rated this discussion board experience as one of their highlights of their graduate program. Linkages between course content and the lay press deepen student understanding and bring out a passion for the content that hasn't been achieved through traditional teaching-learning methods.

Limitations: While lay press opportunities may not be achievable for all nursing coursework, the approach to innovation within traditional teaching techniques is available for any course within graduate education.

Conclusions: Faculty are eager to disrupt traditional teaching-learning practices if it will lead to engagement, interest, and deeper learning for students. Opportunities for interaction with literature is an ideal opportunity for students and faculty to engage in knowledge acquisition, connection, and meaning.

Cara Busenhart
PhD, APRN, CNM, FACNM
Program Director, Advanced Practice and Midwifery Education
University of Kansas School of Nursing

Biography:

Cara Busenhart, PhD, APRN, CNM, FACNM, (she/her) is a Clinical Associate Professor and the Program Director for Advanced Practice & Midwifery Education Programs at the University of Kansas School of Nursing. Dr. Busenhart has been recognized for her contributions to graduate nursing education with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Faculty in 2019 and 2020.

Cara not only teaches didactic and practicum courses in midwifery and advanced practice, but she provides obstetric/maternity expertise and instruction in our concept-based undergraduate curriculum. She loves sharing her passion for midwifery, equity and inclusion, and evidence-based teaching practices.

Phone: (816) 560-3123
Email: cbusenhart@kumc.edu