22 research outputs found

    Assessing the value of action research: Using a world café to explore the professional journey of nurse educators

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    Nurse educators play a crucial role in the development of student nurses’ clinical reasoning skills. To promote clinical reasoning skills, nurse educators should identify and implement appropriate student-centred teaching practices. We used the World Café data collection method to explore nurse educator’s professional journey through action research. We describe how action research, participating in the study and collaborative inquiry changed teaching practices. Action research contributed to nurse educators’ professional development, allowing them to reflect on own practices and develop critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills. Nurse educators reported using more student-centred teaching and learning practices. We describe the World Café method, which we used to collect data. The method can also be used in nursing education as a teaching strategy, students can explore various topics of interest whilst developing competencies in communication, building relationships and collaborative learning

    Creative strategies to support student learning through reflection

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    Reflective practice has become a key attribute of promoting quality teaching and learning. Learning is an active process and include reflective writing, visualising and verbalising to promote critical thinking. In our experience most often than not superficial reflective writing is used. We explored the design of opportunities for students to engage in critical reflection. Theoretical data were obtained through in-depth exploration of the literature to allow contextualisation while arguing a case. A qualitative approach was used. Judgements were not made about the measured quality of reported findings, but on the relevance of reflective strategies to support students, enhance critical reflection and transform practice. Combined with narration and dialogue, reflection can bridge the gap between theoretical ideals and realities of the practice context. Four reflective activities have been identified that could be used to engage students in critical reflection

    A toolkit to support postgraduate research supervisors in supervisory processes: an integrative literature review

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    Aims. The aim of this integrative literature review was first to review current studies on the supervision process and the roles and responsibilities of the supervisor. The second aim was to use the findings to describe a ‘supervisory toolkit’ to enhance effective postgraduate research supervision.Background. Although research supervision forms an integral part of academic work, academic staff is often not formally equipped to provide quality supervision. Academic outputs are dependent on quality supervision.Design. Integrative review Data Sources. CINAHL search using the databases Academic Search Premier, Africa-Wide Information, Business Source Premier, eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), E-Journals, ERIC, Family & Society Studies Worldwide, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, Humanities Source, MasterFILE Premier, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, Social Work Abstracts and TOC Premier. Keywords were searched. Thirty studies published between 2005 and 2015 were reviewed.Review Methods. Studies were appraised using recognized evaluation tools. Thematic analysis was undertaken and emergent themes were extractedResults. The supervision process is depicted as an interconnected learning and developmental process that takes place within a relationship. The three main roles of the supervisor with their associated responsibilities reflect the research supervisor as a project manager, quality assurer and counsellor.Conclusion. The toolkit is based on a thematic analysis of an integrative literature review, and can be utilised by supervisors to direct the activities required for effective postgraduate supervisory practice.Keywords: research supervision process, responsibilities of the research supervisor, roles of the research supervisor, toolkit research supervisio

    Teachers educators in South Africa: something amiss with their academic performance?

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    According to some observers, academics responsible for teacher education in South Africa and elsewhere traditionally have not enjoyed great esteem as academics from their colleagues in other disciplines and university structures. This is not only because of the nature of their subject, but also because they prepare students for one of the less esteemed professions, namely school teachers. Data from the South African part of the 22 country survey known as the Changing Academic Profession Research Project (CAP)(2007/8) confirm that their academic performance was not quite as high as that of their peers in other academic fields. The CAP data further suggest that their lower academic performance, operationally defined as research publication output, might among others be related to them feeling less in control of their professional environment than their peers in other disciplines, especially at departmental level. The discussion also reveals several shortcomings in the CAP survey and the data it provides
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