Distance education in neonatal nursing scenarios: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE Identify resources that support learning mediated by technology in the field of neonatal nursing. METHOD Systematic review with searches conducted in MEDLINE, LILACS and SciELO. Titles and abstracts were independently evaluated by two experts. RESULTS Of the 2,051 references, 203 full-text articles were analyzed, resulting in the inclusion of nine studies on semiotics and semiology, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, general aspects of neonatal care, diagnostic reasoning and assessment of pain. Only two articles addressed the development of educational strategies and seven papers described the assessment of these strategies by experts and/or users. CONCLUSION Distance education is an important resource for education, and its improvement and updating, and it particularly adds advantages for neonatal nursing by approximating teaching and real-life situations and by minimizing the exposure of newborns for teaching purposes. The lack of educational initiatives mediated by technology suggests the need for the development, evaluation and dissemination of educational resources focused on nursing care of newborns and their families.

The construction process of pedagogical knowledge among nursing professors

Didactic knowledge about contents is constructed through an idiosyncratic synthesis between knowledge about the subject area, students' general pedagogical knowledge and the teacher's biography. This study aimed to understand the construction process and the sources of Pedagogical Content Knowledge, as well as to analyze its manifestations and variations in interactive teaching by teachers whom the students considered competent. Data collection involved teachers from an undergraduate nursing program in the South of Brazil, through non-participant observation and semistructured interviews. Data analysis was submitted to the constant comparison method. The results disclose the need for initial education to cover pedagogical aspects for nurses; to assume permanent education as fundamental in view of the complexity of contents and teaching; to use mentoring/monitoring and the value learning with experienced teachers with a view to the development of quality teaching.

Effects of math anxiety on student success in higher education

This study examines whether math anxiety and negative attitudes toward mathematics have an effect on university students" academic achievement in a methodological course forming part of their degree. A total of 193 students were presented with a math anxiety test and some questions about their enjoyment, self-confidence and motivation regarding mathematics, and their responses were assessed in relation to the grades they had obtained during continuous assessment on a course entitled"Research Design". Results showed that low performance on the course was related to math anxiety and negative attitudes toward mathematics. We suggest that these factors may affect students" performance and should therefore be taken into account in attempts to improve students" learning processes in methodological courses of this kind.

Introducing blended learning into a Master Program in Nursing Sciences: a first exploration of a holistic evaluation framework

This contribution presents the first stage of a project to assist the transition of a traditional to a blended program in higher nursing education. We shall describe the goals and context of this project, present the evaluation framework, discuss some early results and then discuss the usefulness of the first version of the evaluation framework.

Debating as a classroom tool for adapting learning outcomes to the European higher education area

The creation of the European Higher Education Area has meant a number of significant changes to the educational structures of the university community. In particular, the new system of European credits has generated the need for innovation in the design of curricula and teaching methods. In this paper, we propose debating as a classroom tool that can help fulfill these objectives by promoting an active student role in learning. To demonstrate the potential of this tool, a classroom experiment was conducted in a bachelor’s degree course in Industrial Economics -Regulation and Competition-, involving a case study in competition policy and incorporating the techniques of a conventional debate -presentation of standpoints, turns, right to reply and summing up-. The experiment yielded gains in student attainment and positive assessments of the subject. In conclusion, the incorporation of debating activities helps students to acquire the skills, be they general or specific, required to graduate successfully in Economics.

CRM and higher education : developing a monitoring system to improve relationships in e-learning environments

Peer-reviewed

La incidencia de la toma de apuntes sobre el aprendizaje significativo. Un estudio de enseñanza superior.= The incidence of notetaking on meaningful learning. A study of higher education.

En este estudio presentamos una experiencia llevada a cabo con estudiantes de la asignatura “Psicología de la Educación” de diferentes centros universitarios. Tomando como marco de referencia las teorías constructivistas del aprendizaje, el objetivo de nuestro trabajo se centra en comprobar la incidencia de la utilización de diferentes estrategias de enseñanza por parte del profesor y de determinadas estrategias de aprendizaje en el proceso de registrar la información por parte de los estudiantes, en la significatividad del aprendizaje.Los resultados obtenidos muestran que en los grupos donde los profesores han utilizado estrategias de enseñanza diferentes a la clase magistral, se ha producido un cambio positivo en las respuestas de los estudiantes o se ha mantenido el mismo nivel, mientras que el grupo donde se ha utilizado una metodología magistral, el nivel de respuesta es inferior. Así mismo, hemos podido observar como los grupos de estudiantes que utilizan las estrategias de aprendizaje seleccionadas para tomar apuntes mejoran su nivel de respuestas, lo cual no se produce en el grupo control

Nursing Ethics Education in Finland from the Perspective of Codes of Ethics

The purpose of this study was to analyze nursing ethics education from the perspective of nurses’ codes of ethics in the basic nursing education programmes in polytechnics in Finland with the following research questions: What is known about nurses’ codes in practice and education, what contents of the codes are taught, what teaching and evaluation methods are used, which demographic variables are associated with the teaching, what is nurse educators’ adequacy of knowledge to teach the codes and nursing students’ knowledge of and ability to apply the codes, and what are participants’ opinions of the need and applicability of the codes, and their importance in nursing ethics education. The aim of the study was to identify strengths and possible problem areas in teaching of the codes and nursing ethics in general. The knowledge gained from this study can be used for developing nursing ethics curricula and teaching of ethics in theory and practice. The data collection was targeted to all polytechnics in Finland providing basic nursing education (i.e. Bachelor of Health Care). The target groups were all nurse educators teaching ethics and all graduating nursing students in the academic year of 2006. A total of 183 educators and 214 students from 24 polytechnics participated. The data was collected using a structured questionnaire with four open-ended questions, designed for this study. The data was analysed by SPSS (14.0) and the open-ended questions by inductive content analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Inferential statistics were used to estimate the differences between the participant groups. The reliability of the questionnaire was estimated with Cronbach’s coefficient alpha. The literature review revealed that empirical research on the codes was scarce, and minimal in the area of education. Teaching of nurses’ codes themselves and the embedded ethical concepts was extensive, teaching of the functions of the codes and related laws and agreements was moderate, but teaching of the codes of other health care professions was modest. Issues related to the nurse-patient relationship were emphasised. Wider social dimensions of the codes were less emphasized. Educators’ and students’ descriptions of teaching emphasized mainly the same teaching contents, but there were statistically significant differences between the groups in that educators assessed their teaching to be more extensive than what students had perceived it had been. T he use of teaching and evaluation methods was rather narrow and conventional. However, educators’ and students’ descriptions of the used methods differed statistically significantly. Students’ knowledge of the codes and their ability to apply them in practice was assessed as mediocre by educators and by students themselves. Most educators assessed their own knowledge of the codes as adequate to teach the codes, as did most of the students. Educators who regarded their knowledge as adequate taught the codes more extensively than those who assessed their knowledge as less adequate. Also students who assessed their educators’ knowledge as adequate perceived the teaching of the codes to be more extensive. Otherwise educators’ and students’ demographic variables had little association with their descriptions of the teaching. According to the participants, nurses need their own codes, and they are also regarded as applicable in practice. The codes are an important element in nursing ethics education, but their teaching needs development. Further research should focus on the organization of ethics teaching in the curricula, the teaching process, and on the evaluation of the effectiveness of ethics education and on educators’ competence. Also the meaning and functions of the codes at all levels of nursing deserve attention. More versatile use of research methods would be beneficial in gaining new knowledge.

Competence in intensive and critical care nursing - development of a basic assessment scale for graduating nursing students

Intensive and critical care nursing is a speciality in its own right and with its own nature within the nursing profession. This speciality poses its own demands for nursing competencies. Intensive and critical care nursing is focused on severely ill patients and their significant others. The patients are comprehensively cared for, constantly monitored and their vital functions are sustained artificially. The main goal is to win time to cure the cause of the patient’s situation or illness. The purpose of this empirical study was i) to describe and define competence and competence requirements in intensive and critical care nursing, ii) to develop a basic measurement scale for competence assessment in intensive and critical care nursing for graduating nursing students, and iii) to describe and evaluate graduating nursing students’ basic competence in intensive and critical care nursing by seeking the reference basis of self-evaluated basic competence in intensive and critical care nursing from ICU nurses. However, the main focus of this study was on the outcomes of nursing education in this nursing speciality. The study was carried out in different phases: basic exploration of competence (phase 1 and 2), instrumentation of competence (phase 3) and evaluation of competence (phase 4). Phase 1 (n=130) evaluated graduating nursing students’ basic biological and physiological knowledge and skills for working in intensive and critical care with Basic Knowledge Assessment Tool version 5 (BKAT-5, Toth 2012). Phase 2 focused on defining competence in intensive and critical care nursing with the help of literature review (n=45 empirical studies) as well as competence requirements in intensive and critical care nursing with the help of experts (n=45 experts) in a Delphi study. In phase 3 the scale Intensive and Critical Care Nursing Competence Scale (ICCN-CS) was developed and tested twice (pilot test 1: n=18 students and n=12 nurses; pilot test 2: n=56 students and n=54 nurses). Finally, in phase 4, graduating nursing students’ competence was evaluated with ICCN-CS and BKAT version 7 (Toth 2012). In order to develop a valid assessment scale of competence for graduating nursing students and to evaluate and establish the competence of graduating nursing students, empirical data were retrieved at the same time from both graduating nursing students (n=139) and ICU nurses (n=431). Competence can be divided into clinical and general professional competence. It can be defined as a specific knowledge base, skill base, attitude and value base and experience base of nursing and the personal base of an intensive and critical care nurse. Personal base was excluded in this self-evaluation based scale. The ICCN-CS-1 consists of 144 items (6 sum variables). Finally, it became evident that the experience base of competence is not a suitable sum variable in holistic intensive and critical care competence scale for graduating nursing students because of their minor experience in this special nursing area. ICCN-CS-1 is a reliable and tolerably valid scale for use among graduating nursing students and ICU nurses Among students, basic competence of intensive and critical care nursing was self-rated as good by 69%, as excellent by 25% and as moderate by 6%. However, graduating nursing students’ basic biological and physiological knowledge and skills for working in intensive and critical care were poor. The students rated their clinical and professional competence as good, and their knowledge base and skill base as moderate. They gave slightly higher ratings for their knowledge base than skill base. Differences in basic competence emerged between graduating nursing students and ICU nurses. The students’ self-ratings of both their basic competence and clinical and professional competence were significantly lower than the nurses’ ratings. The students’ self-ratings of their knowledge and skill base were also statistically significantly lower than nurses’ ratings. However, both groups reported the same attitude and value base, which was excellent. The strongest factor explaining students’ conception of their competence was their experience of autonomy in nursing. Conclusions: Competence in intensive and critical care nursing is a multidimensional concept. Basic competence in intensive and critical care nursing can be measured with self-evaluation based scale but alongside should be used an objective evaluation method. Graduating nursing students’ basic competence in intensive and critical care nursing is good but their knowledge and skill base are moderate. Especially the biological and physiological knowledge base is poor. Therefore in future in intensive and critical care nursing education should be focused on both strengthening students’ biological and physiological knowledge base and on strengthening their overall skill base. Practical implications are presented for nursing education, practice and administration. In future, research should focus on education methods and contents, mentoring of clinical practice and orientation programmes as well as further development of the scale.

The Future of Physical Education in Higher Education: A Delphi Investigation

Despite the profound and widespread concern for the future of higher education physical education, there has been little systematic study on the topic. This research investigated the future by utilizing a two-round interview Delphi method. Five international experts were asked to project possible, probable, preferable and undesirable futures of the academic discipline in fifteen years time; specifically in regards to issues within the undergraduate degree programs, and the research sub-disciplines. The results of quantitative descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis reveal an ever-changing higher education environment in the postmodern information age, which presents a complicating future for the academic discipline. The experts expressed concern that some disciplinarians will be a-futuristic and unable to operationalize the vast potential of the discipline at the institutional level, by continuing to use outdated and inappropriate frameworks of a modern era gone by.

Higher Education Sector in India: Issues and Imperatives

The 21st century is marked by a paradigm shift in education that has resulted both in threats and opportunities. It has brought new challenges and an opportunity for higher education. Higher education in India is undergoing rapid changes. The challenges ahead are multifaceted and multidimensional. Though the data show a massive growth in the number of students' enrollment in colleges/universities, holistic view reveals that still only a meager of the total population has access to higher education. Globalization and privatization are imposing new challenges but the nations are still entangled in solving the basic problems of accessibility to higher education for all. In the wake of the transition from elitist to mass education, universities worldwide are under pressure to enhance access and equity, on the one hand, and to maintain high standards of quality and excellence, on the other. Today the notion of equity not only implies greater access to higher education, but also opportunities for progress. In recent debates on higher education, the notions of equity and access go beyond minority to diversity. Affirmative action, too, has become raceexclusive and gender-neutral.1

La incidencia de la toma de apuntes sobre el aprendizaje significativo. Un estudio de enseñanza superior.= The incidence of notetaking on meaningful learning. A study of higher education.

En este estudio presentamos una experiencia llevada a cabo con estudiantes de la asignatura “Psicología de la Educación” de diferentes centros universitarios. Tomando como marco de referencia las teorías constructivistas del aprendizaje, el objetivo de nuestro trabajo se centra en comprobar la incidencia de la utilización de diferentes estrategias de enseñanza por parte del profesor y de determinadas estrategias de aprendizaje en el proceso de registrar la información por parte de los estudiantes, en la significatividad del aprendizaje. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que en los grupos donde los profesores han utilizado estrategias de enseñanza diferentes a la clase magistral, se ha producido un cambio positivo en las respuestas de los estudiantes o se ha mantenido el mismo nivel, mientras que el grupo donde se ha utilizado una metodología magistral, el nivel de respuesta es inferior. Así mismo, hemos podido observar como los grupos de estudiantes que utilizan las estrategias de aprendizaje seleccionadas para tomar apuntes mejoran su nivel de respuestas, lo cual no se produce en el grupo control

The Nurse Professional Competence (NPC) scale : self-reported competence among nursing students on the point of graduation

BACKGROUND: International organisations, e.g. WHO, stress the importance of competent registered nurses (RN) for the safety and quality of healthcare systems. Low competence among RNs has been shown to increase the morbidity and mortality of inpatients. OBJECTIVES: To investigate self-reported competence among nursing students on the point of graduation (NSPGs), using the Nurse Professional Competence (NPC) Scale, and to relate the findings to background factors. METHODS AND PARTICIPANTS: The NPC Scale consists of 88 items within eight competence areas (CAs) and two overarching themes. Questions about socio-economic background and perceived overall quality of the degree programme were added. In total, 1086 NSPGs (mean age, 28.1 [20-56]years, 87.3% women) from 11 universities/university colleges participated. RESULTS: NSPGs reported significantly higher scores for Theme I "Patient-Related Nursing" than for Theme II "Organisation and Development of Nursing Care". Younger NSPGs (20-27years) reported significantly higher scores for the CAs "Medical and Technical Care" and "Documentation and Information Technology". Female NSPGs scored significantly higher for "Value-Based Nursing". Those who had taken the nursing care programme at upper secondary school before the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programme scored significantly higher on "Nursing Care", "Medical and Technical Care", "Teaching/Learning and Support", "Legislation in Nursing and Safety Planning" and on Theme I. Working extra paid hours in healthcare alongside the BSN programme contributed to significantly higher self-reported scores for four CAs and both themes. Clinical courses within the BSN programme contributed to perceived competence to a significantly higher degree than theoretical courses (93.2% vs 87.5% of NSPGs). SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION: Mean scores reported by NSPGs were highest for the four CAs connected with patient-related nursing and lowest for CAs relating to organisation and development of nursing care. We conclude that the NPC Scale can be used to identify and measure aspects of self-reported competence among NSPGs.