EKU Online Family Nurse Practitioner Program Wins International Award
Eastern Kentucky University's family nurse practitioner program was awarded the Catalyst Award in Teaching and Learning from Blackboard Inc. for quality in online education. The program boasts a 98 percent first attempt pass rate on the family nurse practitioner national certification exam and a 98 percent graduation rate.
RICHMOND, Ky., July 17, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Blackboard Catalyst Award in Teaching and Learning was awarded to Eastern Kentucky University's online Family Nurse Practitioner program. The honor is given to distance learning courses and programs that help set the standard for quality in distance education.
The Catalyst Awards honor institutions from around the world that produce exemplary educational and training opportunities. Winners in the teaching and learning category excel at providing flexible, effective delivery of distance and online learning to positively impact the educational experience.
EKU's online FNP program is a collaborative effort between instructional design experts and faculty. The award-winning team includes FNP Program Coordinator Dr. Margaret Zoellers, Dr. Alison Connell, Dr. Angela Wood, Dr. Brenda Caudill, and Chris Daniel, an instructional designer with the EKU Office of eCampus Learning.
The EKU Online program boasts a 98 percent first attempt pass rate on the family nurse practitioner national certification exam and a 98 percent graduation rate. Offered 100 percent online with no required campus visits, the program emphasizes frequent communication and virtual interactions to connect students to faculty, student peers and the university.
"What makes this program successful is the extremely high level of faculty-student interaction that we have been able to achieve through quality course design and the dedication of our faculty and staff," said Daniel.
Numerous student-focused strategies are incorporated, including:
- consistent user-friendly formatting that simplifies navigation of the online courses
- technology specifically chosen to enhance the learning experience
- orientation activities to introduce the program, familiarize students with faculty, and clarify requirements and expectations
- frequent communication with faculty and staff that is timely, convenient, respectful and encouraging
- practical advice, encouragement and tips for success from graduating students to those entering the program
Previous Blackboard Catalyst Award winners in the Teaching and Learning category have included the Mayo Clinic, Regents University of London, Boston University, University of Mississippi, and Wichita State University.
Consistently recognized as having some of the nation's best online degree programs, EKU strives to make quality education accessible to everyone. EKU is an accredited, brick-and-mortar institution that has offered online degree programs since 2006. Today, more than 40 options are available in a variety of fields. For more information about the EKU Online Rural Health Family Nurse Practitioner Program, visit http://www.go.eku.edu/fnpcatalyst19.
SOURCE Eastern Kentucky University
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