A recent paradigm shift from teacher-centered instruction to student-centered learning have required nurse educators to re-think their classroom approach. Student-centered approaches require the educator to create an environment that fosters learning (Dalley, Dandela, & Benzel-Lindley, 2008). Dalley, Dandela & Benzel-Lindley (2008) state that student-centered practices foster student engagement and thus lead to improved student understanding and abilities. With concepts of student-centered learning, the educator should place a higher focus on program and course outcomes rather than actual content (Dalley, Candela, & Benzel-Lindley, 2008; Melnyk & Davidson, 2009), therefore, it is important to understand the difference between program outcomes, course outcomes, and student-centered course objectives.
Program outcomes describe what the learner will be able to do or exemplify upon completion of their program of study (Billings & Halstead, 2016). Course outcomes are measurable and are designed for the purpose of allowing the learner to demonstrate their ability to achieve program outcomes (Billings & Halstead, 2016). Student-centered outcomes are specific to what the student will have learned throughout the lesson, course or program (Billings & Halstead, 2016).
The specific content focus for the junior level BSN student enrolled in the medical-surgical course will be the respiratory system. The course outcomes are as follows. Upon completion of the medical-surgical course, nursing students will be able to:
A. Demonstrate the ability to apply clinical judgment, critical thinking, and clinical reasoning skills when choosing assessment methods, interventions, and expected outcomes for the medical-surgical patient.
B. Demonstrate patient advocacy and cultural competence by developing, implementing, and evaluating individualized care plans necessary to support patients and families with medical-surgical diagnoses.
C. Identify and apply concepts related to patient health teaching that will aim to promote, maintain and restore health.
D. Discuss the disease process, pathophysiology and application of the nursing process for patients experiencing common medical-surgical diagnoses.
E. Relate appropriate diagnostic tests, non-pharmacological and pharmacological therapies and nursing intervention to specific disease processes.
Below are six student-centered learner objectives that are specific to the respiratory system, and which correlate with the identified medical-surgical nursing course outcomes and represent the six levels of Bloom’s revised taxonomy of learning.
Adams (2015) states that many educators in health care strive to develop learner’s skills such as critical thinking and clinical reasoning, however, many educators develop objectives that only focus on the lower levels of taxonomy as opposed to higher levels of taxonomy that require deeper cognitive thought. The six process dimensions associated with Bloom’s revised taxonomy (remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate & create) are ranked in order of cognitive complexity; lower order thinking skills to higher order thinking skills that require deeper learning (Adams, 2015; Paleeri, 2015). Utilizing Bloom’s revised taxonomy allows the educator to develop student-centered learning objectives that address the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains, and promote learner competency as it relates to acquisition of knowledge and skill as well as the ability to reach and demonstrate their learning potential as they reach higher levels of taxonomy (Adams, 2015; Paleeri, 2015).
Each of the student-centered learning outcomes was created with the idea of fostering critical thinking and clinical reasoning and promoting a deeper level of cognitive learning. Students who are at the junior level in the traditional BSN program should have acquired basic knowledge of the respiratory system, nursing theory, and nursing processes. As students continue in this course, they will begin to acquire and apply new, advanced knowledge regarding the pathophysiological processes of the respiratory system through both classroom content and clinical experience. By having a deeper understanding of respiratory pathophysiology, it will become easier for students to identify and anticipate treatment options and nursing interventions necessary to provide safe, quality care to their patients. Students will also become more confident in their ability to identify both subtle and sudden changes in respiratory status and will begin to apply critical thinking skills and clinical reasoning to patient care decisions. Student's will be able to converse with patients and family in order to determine teaching needs. As the students rise to higher levels of cognition and taxonomy, they will also be able to analyze the effectiveness of patient/family teaching, nursing intervention and treatment measures and will be able to develop and modify nursing care plans that promote optimal patient outcomes and quality nursing care.
References:
Adams, N. E. (2015). Bloom’s taxonomy of cognitive learning objectives. Journal of Medical Library Association, (103)3, 153-153. Doi: 10.3163/1536-5050.103.3.010
Billings, D.M., & Halstead, J.A. (2016) Teaching in nursing: a guide for faculty (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders.
Dalley, K., Candela, L., & Benzel-Lindley, J. (2008). Learning to let go: The challenge of de-crowding the curriculum. Nursing Education Today, (28), 62-69. Doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2007.02.006
Melnyk, B.M. and Davidson, S. (2009) Creating a Culture of Innovation in Nursing Education Through Shared Vision, Leadership, Interdisciplinary Partnerships, and Positive Deviance. Nursing Administration Quarterly. 33(4). 288-295.
Paleeri, S. (2015). Setting objectives of value education in constructivist approach in the light of revised Blooms taxonomy (RBT). I-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, (10)3, 7-12.
Program outcomes describe what the learner will be able to do or exemplify upon completion of their program of study (Billings & Halstead, 2016). Course outcomes are measurable and are designed for the purpose of allowing the learner to demonstrate their ability to achieve program outcomes (Billings & Halstead, 2016). Student-centered outcomes are specific to what the student will have learned throughout the lesson, course or program (Billings & Halstead, 2016).
The specific content focus for the junior level BSN student enrolled in the medical-surgical course will be the respiratory system. The course outcomes are as follows. Upon completion of the medical-surgical course, nursing students will be able to:
A. Demonstrate the ability to apply clinical judgment, critical thinking, and clinical reasoning skills when choosing assessment methods, interventions, and expected outcomes for the medical-surgical patient.
B. Demonstrate patient advocacy and cultural competence by developing, implementing, and evaluating individualized care plans necessary to support patients and families with medical-surgical diagnoses.
C. Identify and apply concepts related to patient health teaching that will aim to promote, maintain and restore health.
D. Discuss the disease process, pathophysiology and application of the nursing process for patients experiencing common medical-surgical diagnoses.
E. Relate appropriate diagnostic tests, non-pharmacological and pharmacological therapies and nursing intervention to specific disease processes.
Below are six student-centered learner objectives that are specific to the respiratory system, and which correlate with the identified medical-surgical nursing course outcomes and represent the six levels of Bloom’s revised taxonomy of learning.
- Relate the pathophysiology behind respiratory disease processes and expected assessment findings associated with these processes (cognitive; remembering; A, D)
- Compare and contrast anticipated treatment such as diagnostic tests, pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and nursing implications as applied to respiratory disease processes (cognitive; understanding; A, B, D, E)
- Apply critical thinking skills necessary to identify changes in respiratory status and anticipate the administration of medications and nursing interventions necessary to provide safe, quality care (cognitive, psychomotor; applying; A, B, D, E)
- Analyze the educational needs of patients and family members as related to respiratory disease processes (cognitive, affective; analyzing, A, B, C, D, E)
- Evaluate the effectiveness of nursing intervention and treatment measures in a patient experiencing a respiratory disease process (cognitive, psychomotor; evaluating; A, B, D, E)
- Develop and modify a nursing care plan that promotes optimal patient outcomes and quality nursing care in a patient experiencing a respiratory disease process (cognitive, affective; creating; A, B, C, D, E)
Adams (2015) states that many educators in health care strive to develop learner’s skills such as critical thinking and clinical reasoning, however, many educators develop objectives that only focus on the lower levels of taxonomy as opposed to higher levels of taxonomy that require deeper cognitive thought. The six process dimensions associated with Bloom’s revised taxonomy (remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate & create) are ranked in order of cognitive complexity; lower order thinking skills to higher order thinking skills that require deeper learning (Adams, 2015; Paleeri, 2015). Utilizing Bloom’s revised taxonomy allows the educator to develop student-centered learning objectives that address the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains, and promote learner competency as it relates to acquisition of knowledge and skill as well as the ability to reach and demonstrate their learning potential as they reach higher levels of taxonomy (Adams, 2015; Paleeri, 2015).
Each of the student-centered learning outcomes was created with the idea of fostering critical thinking and clinical reasoning and promoting a deeper level of cognitive learning. Students who are at the junior level in the traditional BSN program should have acquired basic knowledge of the respiratory system, nursing theory, and nursing processes. As students continue in this course, they will begin to acquire and apply new, advanced knowledge regarding the pathophysiological processes of the respiratory system through both classroom content and clinical experience. By having a deeper understanding of respiratory pathophysiology, it will become easier for students to identify and anticipate treatment options and nursing interventions necessary to provide safe, quality care to their patients. Students will also become more confident in their ability to identify both subtle and sudden changes in respiratory status and will begin to apply critical thinking skills and clinical reasoning to patient care decisions. Student's will be able to converse with patients and family in order to determine teaching needs. As the students rise to higher levels of cognition and taxonomy, they will also be able to analyze the effectiveness of patient/family teaching, nursing intervention and treatment measures and will be able to develop and modify nursing care plans that promote optimal patient outcomes and quality nursing care.
References:
Adams, N. E. (2015). Bloom’s taxonomy of cognitive learning objectives. Journal of Medical Library Association, (103)3, 153-153. Doi: 10.3163/1536-5050.103.3.010
Billings, D.M., & Halstead, J.A. (2016) Teaching in nursing: a guide for faculty (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders.
Dalley, K., Candela, L., & Benzel-Lindley, J. (2008). Learning to let go: The challenge of de-crowding the curriculum. Nursing Education Today, (28), 62-69. Doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2007.02.006
Melnyk, B.M. and Davidson, S. (2009) Creating a Culture of Innovation in Nursing Education Through Shared Vision, Leadership, Interdisciplinary Partnerships, and Positive Deviance. Nursing Administration Quarterly. 33(4). 288-295.
Paleeri, S. (2015). Setting objectives of value education in constructivist approach in the light of revised Blooms taxonomy (RBT). I-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, (10)3, 7-12.