Theories of Nursing Education

NURS 5201

 3 Credit Hours

Course Description

This course explores major research-based theories of adult learning and knowledge development in nursing.  These theories will be examined for their utility across a variety of settings/and or levels of education.

Course Objectives

At the conclusion of this course the student will be able to:

1. Evaluate selected adult learning and nursing education theories.
2. Analyze theoretical foundations of adult learning for their relevance to nursing education.
3. Compare the roles of nurse educators across the spectrum of nursing education settings.
4. Examine factors that affect nursing students’ learning, including selected ethical and legal issues that influence the learning context.

Prerequisites

NURS 5000 Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice

Course Topics

Current theories of adult learning and education
Evidence-based nursing education
Brain-based learning and multiple intelligences
Theoretical and clinical learning and the impact of technology

The contexts and settings for nursing education

Reflective practice and student feedback

Student characteristics, learning needs, and performance issues

Textbooks

Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course: http://rodp.bkstr.com.

Supplementary Materials

Supplemental periodicals and journal articles assigned by instructor.

Hardware Requirements

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software.htm. 

Software Requirements

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software.htm. 

Additional software requirements for this course include Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint), and Acrobat Reader.

instructor Information

Please see the separate page inside the course to find instructor contact information as well as a statement of virtual office hours and other communication information.

Testing Procedure

All course requirements are submitted online. 

Grading Procedure

Participation in Online Class Discussions	12%
Module Assignments	40%
Teaching Roles Project	15%
Essays	18%
Learning Theory Synthesis Paper	15%
Total	100%

Grading Scale

A  = 93-100
B  = 85-92
C  = 77-84
D  = 70-76
F  = <70

Assignments and Projects

Guidelines and instructions for each aspect of the grade are included in the course modules and referenced in the course calendar.

Class Participation

All students are expected to actively participate in online class discussions. Each discussion question posted will be assigned a date by which the student must respond.  If a student is unable to fulfill this requirement for any reason, he/she should notify the instructor prior to the class and make alternative arrangements.  The aim is to encourage interaction among students and faculty, not simply to present information. Students are required to respond to all discussion questions. Student responses to discussion questions must be substantive, that is, thoughtful and analytical. Because the WebCT system has its own way of formatting material posted on the discussion feature, the student will not be expected to strictly follow APA guidelines for online submissions. However, the student is held to academic standards of writing style and the use of proper grammar, punctuation and spelling. 

Punctuality

Students are expected to:

•         Check the course calendar for the due dates of assignments.

•         Check the course bulletin board frequently for announcements.

Course Ground Rules

The student is expected to:

•         Learn how to navigate in the WebCT system.

•         Participate by responding to all discussion questions.

•         Keep abreast of course announcements.

•         Use the assigned college or university e-mail address as opposed to a personal e-mail address.

•         Contact the instructor if unclear about assignment expectations.

•         Address technical problems immediately by contacting RODP technical support.

Guidelines for Communication

            Email:

•         Always include a subject line.

•         Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way.

•         Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.

•         Use standard fonts.

•         Do not send large attachments without permission.

•         Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.

•         Respect the privacy of other class members.

            Discussion Groups:

•         Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion.

•         Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.

•         Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group.

•         Be respectful of others’ ideas.

•         Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.

•         Be positive and constructive in group discussions.

•         Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner. 

Library

The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in the Regents Degree Program. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading must be included in all courses.

Students with Disabilities

Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with his/her home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Technical Support

If you are having problems logging into the course, timing out of the course, using the course web site tools, or other technical problems, please visit the AskRODP Customer Support web page at http://askrodp.custhelp.com or call the AskRODP Help Desk at      1-866-550-RODP (1-866-550-7637)