Creating enabling environment for student engagement: Faculty practices of critical thinking

Critical thinking (CT) is considered an important attribute in practice disciplines and faculty members in nursing, medicine, and education are expected to facilitate the development of CT in their graduates so that these individuals can be critical, reflective, competent, and caring professionals and service providers (Distler, 2007; Shiau & Chen, 2008; Worell & Profetto-McGrath, 2007). When students are actively engaged in their learning, and classrooms have an enabling environment, critical thinking is promoted. Teachers must reflect upon their teaching pedagogy when students do not participate in stimulating discussions, or asks questions in class. Research suggests that lack of understanding of CT affects teachers’ CT practices in the classroom. Literature supports that teaching learning activities and opportunities that emphasize encouragement of students’ participation in classroom fosters communication, student engagement, creativity, self – directedness and critical thinking (Choy & Cheah, 2009). Thus it is vital to explore what CT practices can be performed by educators to influence students’ CT. The present study aimed to identify perceptions and practices of CT among educators from the disciplines of nursing, medicine, and education in higher education in Karachi, Pakistan. A descriptive exploratory design was used where 12 multidisciplinary educators participated in semi structured interviews and allowed classroom observations. Four major themes were identified, but this paper will explore multidisciplinary educators’ practices of CT in a classroom setting. The faculty needs to be aware of how their practices of critical thinking can create an enabling learning environment, and what factors in its physical, psychological and intellectual environment can affect critical thinking in students

“Let’s work: Involving nursing students in the care of elderly people at nursing home”

Working in nursing homes is the most challenging task for a nursing staff, but at the same time it can be a spirit jarring experience for young nursing students. From the perspective of nursing students, often students find it difficult to deal with elderly people living in the nursing home. They feel stressed, depressed, and insecure when asked to communicate with elderly people. At the Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKU-SONAM), baccalaureate nursing students chose an elective course on care of elderly clients, where theory is offered in a blended form and clinical experience is provided by visiting senior old aged home. In this article, the students have two weeks to work with elderly clients, where they plan some interventions based on their assessment, to improve communication with the elderly, to increase their involvement and to advance their health behaviors

Can rote learners be transformed into critical thinkers through a concept – mapping intervention?

Critical thinking is an important outcome of higher education in any discipline. International literature reveals that teaching strategies—such as reflections, self-directed learning, questioning, and concept mapping—which ask for active engagement of students in their learning, foster critical thinking. Social context of the learning environment, and the instructor’s competence and approach to teaching also influence students’ critical thinking abilities. Contrary to the required teaching practices, didactic teaching and rote learning are still prevalent in most teaching institutions and disciplines in Pakistan. The focus of this paper is to report on the process and findings of a quasi-experimental study in which students at Aga Khan University School of nursing were taught and encouraged to use concept mapping as a way for knowledge acquisition. A total of 97 nursing students in their first year of the programme were enrolled in the study. In the pre-intervention phase all students were assessed for their level of self-directed learning and ways of knowing, using two instruments, named- SDLRS (Self Directed Learning Readiness Scale) and WOKAT (Ways of Knowing Assessment Tool). The students were allocated to experimental and controlled groups based on their score on WOKAT. Those in the experimental group were taught to develop concept-maps. In the post-intervention phase, all students were reassessed on SDLRD, WOKAT, and GPA and their scores were compared between the groups. Findings of the study showed significant difference between the controlled and experimental groups in terms of students GPA but no substantial change was noted in their scores on SDLRS and WOKAT

Experiences of adopting blended pedagogies in health assessment course in post RN baccalaureate program of nursing in Karachi, Pakistan

Purpose: There is little known about whether faculty and students in a resource constricted context experience a change in learning due to the adoption of blended learning (BL) pedagogies in a lab based course. The study aimed to understand the experiences of faculty and students’ related to the adoption of BL pedagogies in health assessment course.Design: An action research design was used in this study to integrate planning, action and research in the setting where the change is required. The study sample consisted of year 1 Post RN BScN students enrolled at the Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery, and the faculty assigned to teach in Health Assessment course. Of the 83 Post RN BScN students and the 6 nursing faculty invited, 53 students and 6 teachers (n= 59) consented to participate in the study. Data was collected using focus group discussions.Results: Findings revealed five major categories; Students’ readiness, motivation and self- directedness; Teacher competence, commitment, and comfort; Use of blended strategies; Resources; and Contextual factors & challenges.Conclusion: This study was the first of its kind in Pakistan. The findings of the study indicate towards the ways that can improve the use of BL in a resource constrained context

Experiences of the breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy at a public hospital Peshawar Pakistan

Objective: This study aimed to explore the experiences of female breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) in a public hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan.Methods: This study employed a descriptive exploratory method. A purposive sample of 14 breast cancer women undergoing RT was selected for this study. Data were collected over the period of 5 months, using a semi-structured interview guide and conducting in-depth face-to-face interviews. These interviews were audio taped and transcribed by a bilingual transcriber. The translated version of the interview was coded, and the analysis was done manually.Results: Four main categories emerged from data analysis, which were: feelings and perceptions of the patients, their challenges, coping strategies, and teaching and informational needs.Conclusions: Women undergoing RT in this culture experience more intense psychological effects, as compared to the physical effects. Keeping in mind, the magnitude of the emotional stress experienced by the participants, recommendations for policy reforms, and training for female RT staff are suggested based on findings of this research

Enhancement of critical thinking in curriculum design and delivery: A randomized controlled trial for educators

Critical thinking is an important outcome criterion of higher education in any discipline including nursing. If nursing programs envisaged preparing graduates who are equipped with critical thinking, then the educators who plan and deliver the programs must exhibit higher level thinking in their teaching practices. This paper presents finding of the 1st phase of a National level research study that aims to assess, develop and enhance educators’ critical thinking capacity

Practices of faculty members regarding teaching and learning strategies in nursing education

Objective: To determine the different teaching learning strategies utilized, percentage of faculty members utilizing these teaching strategies and faculty perceptions regarding effectiveness of these in undergraduate nursing degree programs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan.Methodology: Cross sectional descriptive design was used to conduct this study. The sample size was 42. The faculty members were recruited from different nursing institutes offering degree programs in KPK, Pakistan. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS & STAT.Results:Discussion, lecture, group discussion, and PPT were used by 78.6%, 73.8%, 73.8%, and 69% of the faculty members, respectively. However, other learning strategies like debate, PBL, case study, and role play were used by fewer members of faculty; 44.2%, 47.6%, 38.1, and 40.5%, respectively. Faculty reported discussion (88.1%), group work (81%), lecture (61.9%), and video (59.5%) as the most effective teaching strategies.Conclusion: Nursing institutes in KPK are still using passive learning strategies in nursing education. It is recommended that faculty development programs should be initiated to enhance utilization of active learning strategies

Development of students\u27 critical thinking: The educators\u27 ability to use questioning skills in the baccalaureate programmes in nursing in Pakistan

Objective: To enhance the Critical Thinking skills of educators associated with the nursing baccalaureate programmes in Pakistan. By focusing on the type and level of questions asked by the educators.Methods: Ninety-one faculty members from 14 out of 17 schools participated in the study. Data on the faculty\u27s questioning skills was obtained through classroom observations and field notes. The duration of the observations was 45-60 minutes. Using Bloom\u27s Taxonomy for cognitive thinking, questions were categorised into high and low categories.Results: Most of the questions (68.9 %) asked by the participants were of lower levels, while some (5.37 %) were ambiguous. In many instances, the participants did not allow a sufficient wait-time for students to think and respond.Conclusion: The findings suggest that educators must learn to use the questioning strategy effectively. They should ask higher level questions if they wish to inculcate Critical Thinking in students

Challenges in teaching palliative care module virtually during COVID-19 era

With the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the global community, routine activities of universities, offices, and industries have been hindered. People are being forced to rethink the ways of working virtually from home for providing education, business, and health services in this social distancing during the COVID era. This sudden shift also posed challenges of online teaching in a private university, in urban Karachi, Pakistan. The Aga Khan University, School of Nursing and Midwifery recently conducted an online palliative care module using a virtual learning environment and Microsoft Teams for Trainee Nurse Interns. Although the first experience of online teaching and learning was a successful venture for faculty and students, in a lockdown situation, numerous challenges were also encountered being a lower middle-income country. The issues of electricity shutdown, Internet connectivity, and quality assurance were anticipated on transition to online pedagogy, but backup plans were formed to make execution promising

Multidimensionality of critical thinking: A holistic perspective from multidisciplinary educators in Karachi, Pakistan

Critical thinking (CT) is a phenomenon of worldwide importance and is a desired outcome in higher and professional education. Development of CT is considered a primary responsibility of educators; however, educators find it challenging to foster learners’ CT if their own understanding of CT skills and concepts is not well developed. Limited research is available on how multidisciplinary educators perceive and practice CT. The study aimed to identify perceptions and practices of CT among educators from the disciplines of nursing, medicine, and education in higher education in Karachi, Pakistan. A descriptive exploratory qualitative design was used where 12 purposefully selected educators from three disciplines participated. Semi structured interviews were conducted and content analysis was done. Although the findings revealed four major themes, the focus of this paper is limited to the theme of faculty perceptions. Faculty’s perceptions of nature, acquisition, and application of critical thinking are multidimensional and although the educators were from various disciplines their perceptions of critical thinking were analogous. Thus combined efforts by all multidisciplinary educators in a higher education are needed to assist them to actualize their perceptions to promote CT practices in a classroom setting