This study's purpose was to research trends in community college students' perceptions of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and discover factors related their success, applying this knowledge to nursing education. Community college students (N=156) participated in the 34-question survey that asked questions related to perception of online learning, instructor involvement and characteristics of success. Thirty-seven percent of the sampling self-reported that they were nursing or allied health majors (N=51). A Bonferroni post hoc analysis showed strong differences between the students' ages and self-reported characteristics of success. A Pearson two-tailed correlation showed a correlation between instructor support and ease of transition to online learning (r=.312, p=>.000) as well as a correlation between instructors providing ways to effectively communicate, promoting a deeper connection during the online learning transition during the pandemic (r=.729, p=>.000). An ANOVA showed a strong correlation between students who had not taken online courses before the pandemic and attitudes about how much was learned compared to live classroom formats (F (1,145) =9.697, p=.002). There were no significant differences in nursing students' responses and other majors regarding the transition to online learning or personal characteristics indicative of online learning success (Nursing SD=.738; Non-nursing SD=.781). Nursing students reported similarly of the correlation between instructor involvement/communication, deadline flexibility, student effort, and online learning success (Nursing SD=.964; Non-nursing SD=.967). Previous research was reinforced but more studies should be done to identify ways educators can enhance online learning to address student concerns.

Students at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica are required to complete a course on research and writing for academic purposes. Students are scheduled to visit the library for a hands-on session in the library's computer laboratory. How can we motivate them to acquire the research skills required in academia? We must first capture their immediate attention and then encourage their academic curiosity. How can we stimulate them to become information detectives? What are the nonacademic sources of information that have impacted the lives of Caribbean students prior to arrival at university? It wasn't the journals or scholarly books. It was other less formal sources of information.