Using Faculty Networks and Collaboration to Conduct Nursing Education Research
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Overview
Overview
Description
Using Faculty Networks and Collaboration to Conduct Nursing Education Research
Background: While research collaborations are common, advances in technology have provided opportunities to engage in larger faculty networks. Developing networks of research faculty leads to the sharing of innovative practices, exploration of issues important to the global nursing community, enhanced research productivity, mentoring relationships, and future collaborative research (McGann, 2020; Abramson et al., 2019; Luke et al., 2016; Schwartz et al., 2016). A nursing research faculty network was developed to explore the influence of COVID 19 on U.S. nursing faculty who transitioned from face-to-face to online course formats. Methods: A mixed-methods descriptive study was conducted by 15 research faculty from ten (10) colleges and universities. Nursing faculty at the institutions were surveyed using contacts from each individual investigator’s network of colleagues. Results: Eighty-four (84) faculty participated in this study and provided data related to online teaching self-efficacy and resiliency. They also provided data about resources, support, and methodologies used to transition courses online. Discussion: The members of the original research team were from two universities within one state. Tapping into established relationships with faculty at other institutions increased the investigators’ ability to reach more participants across different types of institutions, programs and states. Networking and collaboration have been used effectively to build bodies of research and can connect researchers to others who have similar research interests (Vinson et al., 2019; Mungia et al., 2016). Collaborators in this network are participating in the dissemination of results via conference presentations and peer-reviewed manuscripts. Collaboration with faculty across the United States also gave valuable insight into strategies used during the COVID 19 pandemic when faculty abruptly pivoted to an online environment. Conclusion: Faculty research networks have the potential to provide a more global perspective of nursing issues and solutions. Networks provide the capacity to build mentoring relationships, establish best practice, and strengthen connections within the nursing education community.
