Cultivating faculty engagement with Virtual Learning Platforms (VLP): A concept analysis

Background: The transition to Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) preparedness and the Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (CJMM) in nursing education, coupled with the rapid digital transformation of higher education, has required a paradigmatic shift in instructional delivery in undergraduate nursing programs. This shift has enabled virtual learning platforms to offer robust systems with formative practice items, benchmark testing, adaptive learning modules, and analytics. Traditional teaching is shifting toward dynamic Virtual Learning Platforms (VLPS) and learning management systems, as many universities use these systems to help prepare students for professional certifications.  While institutional assessment frameworks predominantly focus on student retention and state-mandated criteria, they often inconsistently emphasize cultivating faculty engagement. In professional healthcare disciplines such as nursing, unfocused pedagogical engagement, technologically challenged educators, or onboarding gaps for new educators directly affect students' development of clinical judgment, academic persistence, and professional readiness. This concept analysis will examine the theoretical and practical dimensions of cultivating faculty engagement in virtual learning platforms, using walker and Avant’s methodology to clarify its defining attributes, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents. Cultivating faculty engagement with virtual learning platforms is a complex psychosocial and organizational endeavor that requires an intentional shift from mandatory software compliance to comprehensive digital empowerment. By clearly defining faculty engagement, academic institutions can better support educators, integrate platforms into courses, bridge the digital divide, and foster high-impact virtual learning environments that promote positive student outcomes.