Becky Boyer earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Nursing from the University of South Alabama and served as a nurse for many years. For the last 12 years, she’s been shaping the next generation of nurses as an instructor at Coastal Alabama Community College. In 2016, Becky began considering degree programs that could advance her skills and career. She and a colleague found The University of Alabama’s EdD in Instructional Leadership with a concentration in Nurse Education offered in a hybrid format through UA Online.
“We loved that there was a doctoral degree combining research and education. Another colleague from a sister location who wanted to do it, too. And then my husband decided he wanted to do it, so the four of us all enrolled in the same cohort!” Becky said. Along with her husband, Steve, and her friends and colleagues, Lynette and Connie, Becky began the program in Fall 2016. “From the first day, I was so pumped about getting back into that college experience where you’re really immersed in the learning.”
Initially worried about being able to manage a rigorous doctoral program along with her full-time job, Becky considered the program’s flexibility an important factor. Its hybrid format combines online coursework with four campus visits per semester. Becky, Steve, Lynette and Connie would make the four-hour drive from South Alabama together for these visits. “It was so exciting to be able to go once a month on a Saturday and get away and just focus on my education. We would record the lecture and carpool together and listen to it during the ride and talk about it the whole way there.” The entire cohort ended up staying at the same hotel, so they had many opportunities to connect with their classmates who had traveled from Mississippi, Florida, Maryland and all across Alabama. Becky says they all got along from the beginning and became like a family.
That family was critical for Becky and Steve in 2019 when they tragically lost their 27-year-old son, Shawn, in a car accident. “Our class was so supportive during that time. They reached out and let us know they loved us and cared about us, and because of their support, we were able to continue progressing in the program instead of withdrawing,” she said. Others in the group have endured hard times as well, but they’ve had support and encouragement from each other that helped them make it through.
Becky also shared that the instructors have been an indispensable source of support as she navigates balancing a doctoral program with life’s other demands. “They know we’re real people and we have full-time careers. They’re flexible and willing to work with us, and that’s an important aspect of the program that has helped us all succeed.”
Becky has been able to apply many of the course concepts to her career. “I’m teaching hybrid courses right now, and the program has enhanced my understanding of the technical resources we can use for online and distance education. Being able to improve my teaching methods through understanding the theory behind learning has been so helpful. Every semester, I’ve been able to enhance my courses, teaching ability and presentation skills because of the program.”
She has completed her coursework for the program and is currently working on her dissertation. “Since I teach in an associate nursing degree program, I’ve focused my research on whether or not instructors in these programs use evidence-based teaching strategies. We all use evidence-based methods in our nursing practice, but I am conducting qualitative interviews with other associate degree nursing educators to determine if they use evidence-based teaching strategies.”
Once Becky and Steve finish the program, they’ll both be able to advance in their careers. Because of the community college system Becky teaches in, she’s already been able to see two salary increases that came in conjunction with certain increments of completed coursework, and when she graduates, she’ll see a third. Additionally, she is prepared to teach nursing at a higher level in the future if she chooses.
“It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life to go back to school at this point in time.”
Published: August 31st, 2020