Evaluating Student Success after a Change in the Teaching/Learning Environment

This study evaluates the effect of providing a structured development program for faculty to implement student-centered learning strategies in an entry-level nursing course. A call to change our teaching and learning practices in nursing comes from healthcare leaders who see the complicated healthcare environment (National Academies, 2010). Also, our expected result of teaching and learning in nursing has evolved to include clinical reasoning, situated learning, and civic professionalism (Benner, et al, 2010). Other academic leaders are referring to disruptive learning which questions how we know students are learning and not just being taught (Bass, 2012).

Our challenge to meet the demands of the stakeholders continues to be impacted by the number of faculty, the preparation of faculty, and institutions ability to drive and support change. Our other prevailing challenge is to have test-ready students who can successfully pass the national licensing exam.  This study determined to prepare faculty with a course designed with alternative learning activities and a student-centered focus. The goal is to evaluate student success in a proceeding course after students become active participants in their own learning. The question is to determine if student-centered designed courses promote student success in future courses by impacting learning behaviors.

References

Bass, Randy (2012). Disrupting ourselves: The problem of learning in higher education. Educause Review, March/April, 2012.

Benner, P., Sutphen, M., Leonard, V., Day,L. (2010) Educating Nurses: A call for radical transformation.  Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA.

National Academies, Institute of Medicine (2010). The future of nursing, leading change, advancing health. Washington D.C.