Evaluation of Teaching Competence in Taiwan Nurse Educators: Presence and Value

Purpose: Teaching as a profession was addressed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1966. The core content of the statement insisted that a teacher should be equipped with professional teaching competence before he/she is able to deliver professional knowledge to students. The academic preparations of nursing faculty who work for college or university are mainly professional nursing knowledge and research methodology, not professional teaching knowledge and skills. This study aimed to assess and understand the current status and value in teaching competence among nursing faculty in Taiwan.

Methods: Based on a review of literature, a survey questionnaire was constructed and distributed to 353 nursing educators employed in 24 universities and colleges in Taiwan.

Results: A response rate of 64.3% was achieved.The study results showed that teaching competence varied by the educator’s seniority of teaching, academic position, and the major teaching subjects. Faculty with higher seniority presented better teaching competence in both knowledge and skills than those with lower seniority. However, all nursing educators expressed a lack of knowledge in history, philosophy, and sociology of education. Regarding the impact of academic positions on teaching competence, faculty with professorship contained better knowledge in educational theory, instruction principle, curriculum design, and assessment of teaching outcomes and situations, as well as teaching skills in linguistic expression and communication, than lecturers.

Conclusion: Analysis of nursing educators’ value in learning teaching knowledge and skills showed a higher learning needs in education philosophy, sociology, psychology, and theory, as well as classroom management, but lower attention in curriculum design and teaching strategy related competence.