Perceptions of the Impact of Online Learning as a Distance-based Learning Model on the Professional Practices of Working Nurses in Northern Ontario

Oct 15, 2026

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Canadian nurses face ongoing challenges in continuing education and have adopted distance-education courses, especially online learning models. This paper reports interviews with nurses studying in two northern universities using online learning, examining how learning experiences shape professional practice. Findings highlight factors influencing teaching and learning in distance settings, the complex work-life-study roles some nurses navigate, northern life and work realities, and the sustained importance of access enabled by online learning approaches.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Literature

Distance Education and Online Learning

Special Considerations in Northern Geographies

Perceptions of the Impact of Online Learning as a Distance-based Learning Model on the Professional Practices of Working Nurses in Northern Ontario Perceptions de l’impact de l’apprentissage en ligne comme modèled’apprentissage à distance sur les pratiques professionnelles du personnel infirmier du nord de l’Ontario Lorraine Carter, McMaster University, Centre for Continuing Education Mary Hanna, Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research Wayne Warry, Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research Abstract Nurses in Canada face diverse challenges to their ongoing educational pursuits. As a result, they have been early adopters of courses and programs based on distance education principles and, in particular, online learning models. In the study described in this paper, nurses studying at two northern universities, in programs involving online learning, were interviewed about their learning experiences and the impact of these experiences on their practice. The study led to insights into the factors affecting teaching and learning in distance settings; the complex work-life-study roles experienced by some nurses; life and work realities in northern settings; and the sustained importance of access enabled by online learning approaches. Résumé Au Canada, le personnel infirmier fait face à divers défis relatifs à l’éducation permanente. Les infirmiers et infirmières ont donc été parmi les premiers à adopter les cours et programmes appuyant les principes de l’éducation à distance et, en particulier, les modèles d’apprentissage en ligne. Dans l’étude que décrit cet article, le personnel infirmier étudiant dans deux universités du nord de l’Ontario, dans des programmes utilisant l’apprentissage en ligne, a été interviewé au sujet de ses expériences d’apprentissage et de l’incidence que celui-ci a eu sur la pratique des soins infirmiers. L’étude a permis de mieux comprendre les facteurs qui affectentl’enseignement et l’apprentissage à distance, les rôles complexes que jouent certains infirmiers et infirmières dans leur travail-vie-formation, les réalités de la vie et du travail dans les contextes nordiques et l’importance durable de l’accès que permettent les approches d’enseignement en ligne. Introduction While there is an established body of literature about the access that distance infrastructure can support, there is a gap in understanding the impact that distance learning can have on the actual practices of health providers. This study represents an effort to address this gap based on the distance learning experiences of nurses in northern Ontario, where the model used to bridge distance was online learning. The objectives ofthe study were the following: (a) to explore the distance education experiences of nurses in northern Ontario, where the nurses studied through online learning; and (b) to explore the nurses’ perceptions ofthe impact of their learning on practice. The online learning environment was conceptualized as an integration of pedagogy, instructional technology, and the internet (Carter et al., 2014) . Literature Distance Education and Online Learning According to Shale (1990), early forms of distance education claimed an existence involving physical separation between the teacher and the student. Today, with new educational technologies and new meanings of space and time (Carter & Graham, 2012; Fisher, 2009), distance education can be a response to more than issues of geography. It can be a response to psychological and social variables (Bates, 2008) and complex personal and professional lives. Equally important is that distance education has evolved dramatically from correspondence practices to technologically-mediated learning opportunities, including online learning. Generally, online courses are asynchronous in nature, although increasingly, they include synchronous or real-time interactions. A course is asynchronous when students work through the course materials on their own time. The

FAQs

What is the study’s main focus regarding online learning?

The study explores how distance learning experiences, specifically online learning, influence nurses’ perceptions and how those experiences impact their professional practice in northern Ontario.

How did the researchers conceptualize the online learning environment?

They conceptualized it as an integration of pedagogy, instructional technology, and the internet.

What makes online and blended learning especially significant in northern Ontario?

Northern Ontario’s vast geography, diverse communities, and limited local population density make distance-supported access crucial for nurses’ ongoing education.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by SANS