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Sunday, November 4, 2007

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This presentation is part of : Nursing Education Innovations
The Great Northeast Cookie Experiment: Innovations in Undergraduate Research Education
Jennifer L. Morton, RN, MS, MPH, Nursing, University of New England, Portland, ME, USA
Learning Objective #1: describe classroom innovations unique to research methods education in nursing
Learning Objective #2: discuss how refinement of existing teaching strategies is useful in the classroom

Nursing educators are faced with the ongoing challenge of teaching complex research content to undergraduate nursing students. In recent years, efforts by educators to provide students with creative learning experiences that not only makes the conceptualization of the research process real, but also less anxiety provoking have posed a challenge.  In 1986, Theil developed the Great American Cookie Experiment (TGACE) as a way to accomplish this.  Since then, one other refinement of this original experiment has been published.

The Great Northeast Cookie Experiment (TGNCE) served as a further refinement of this experiment by combining “numbers and stories” for a quantitative/qualitative component to research design.  A descriptive design combined with a qualitative question based on phenomenology helped guide this innovative learning strategy that aided students in learning both basic and complex research concepts.

Eleven undergraduate research students served as a collaborative research team in the design and implementation of the study.  This included; a comprehensive literature review, problem statement, purpose, application to the IRB, construction of informed consent, selection of a cohort sample based on power analysis, selection of methods, revisions, and data collection.  Students also participated in data analysis in the classroom setting, utilizing SPSS.

These students, having learned collaboratively for three years were able to troubleshoot individual research tasks based on their own self perceived strengths. Mentored research teams in the classroom can serve as a valuable impetus to help students conceptualize the research process and subsequently become willing participants in evidence based practice.