Ways of Knowing Nursing: A Discussion Forum Rubric for Distance Education

Abstract

Distance education by its very nature implies physical separation and lack of connectedness among participants. Presented is a Discussion Forum Rubric that captures the multidimensionality of the study of nursing knowledge through participation expectations. This discussion rubric is designed to guide the dialogue of learners with faculty mentors to interpret nursing as an art and science with a theory-based foundation of: disciplinary knowing through critical inquiry; intentional knowing with genuine presence and attentiveness; dialogical knowing focusing on contextual learning within nursing situations; professional knowing through introspection and past experiences; and expressive knowing with articulation of ideas, thoughts, positions, and standards.