Critique Of Contemporary Practice Measurement Methods: Group Projects

1. Critique Of Contemporary Practice Measurement Methods:Group Projects Margaret Delks BSN, RN, BC NUGR 550 Dr. May October 28,,2011

2. For Instance… • You want to evaluate second semester senior nursing students’ ability to synthesize , analyze and apply aggregate knowledge and clinical experience in an effort to assess preparedness for the RN role. Which method of evaluation would you choose to provide an accurate assessment?

3. For Instance… • Assign a final paper to each student that reflects on the past four years of nursing school and goals for the future. • Assign each student an in depth study and class presentation of a medical diagnosis with holistic nursing care plan. • Assign small groups of students to redesign and present case reviews of patient care scenarios, to include heart failure, pain management, post- operative care, and patient through put. • Assign the entire class a research study contrasting 2 types of nursing care delivery systems on a medical surgical unit.

4. Challenge to Educators • Emphasis of educational activities • Meet facility needs and goals • Enhance patient outcomes • Facilitate excellence in nursing practice • Maintain cost efficiency • Provide support and validation for programs

5. Group Projects • Work toward common goal or solution • Result in enhanced learning and satisfaction • Capture domains of learning- cognitive, psychomotor, affective • Support adult learning theory/principles • Learner focused

6. Group Projects • Group Types • Informal grouping for short time • Class work, committee • Formal grouping to complete a task over time • Class project/assignment, Rapid Improvement Process (RIP) • Collaborative learning group • Work on course assignments Cohort • Provide support and guidance to one another

7. Criteria for Evaluation • Clinical Reasoning- conclusions through process • Knowledge level- shared knowledge and information, exploration of ideas reveals learning • Communication Skills- level and quality of communication • Verbal, non-verbal, written, technology (media) • Do communication skills complement one another? • Attitude- influenced by previous experience, bias, individual self-concept • Direct observation, rotating leadership, written feedback will assist in evaluation

8. Criteria for Evaluation • Formative • Occurs during initiation and work phase • Determines deficits and progress in meeting goals • Journaling, feedback sheets • Summative • Occurs at end of project • Presentation • Evaluation feedback

9. Criteria for Evaluation • Validity • Use rubrics to assist in evaluating group • Objectives/Expectations • Reliability • Group and evaluator can affect reliability • Group projects may not measure that learning occurred

10. Criteria for Evaluation • Educational Effect- may not be conducive for preparation in the most relevant way • Feasibility/Efficiency- generally affordable, often time consuming- cost of time for stakeholders • Practicality- fits with the curriculum, setting • Acceptability- can be disparity in agreement between educator and group regarding results

11. Conclusion • Group projects useful evaluation method for many criteria • Best for cognitive and affective domains, communications skills, attitude. formative, and acceptability • Not strong for psychomotor domain, summative, validity and reliability, educational effect • Not always feasible, practical and efficient • Supports adult learning theory

12. Conclusion • Need clear objectives, expectations and desired outcomes • Rubrics recommended • Guidance from educator essential • Even work distribution and participation augments accurate evaluation

14. References • Anderson, L. W., Krathwohl, D. R., & Bloom, B. S. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. New York, NY: Longman. • Billings, D. M., & Halstead, J. A. (2009). Teaching in nursing a guide for faculty (3rd ed.). St. Louis, MO.: Saunders Elsevier. • Forrest, S. (2004, March/April). Learning and teaching: the reciprocal link. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 35(2), 74-79. Retrieved from www.EBSCOhost.com. • Gaberson, K. B., & Oermann, M. H. (2010). Clinical teaching strategies in nursing (3rd ed.). New York, NY.: Springer. • Hanson, M. S., & Carpenter, D. R. (2011, July/August). Integrating cooperative learning into classroom testing: implications for nursing education and practice. Nursing Education Perspectives, 32(4), 270-273. Retrieved from www.EBSOhost.com. • Holmboe, E. S., & Hawkins, R. E. (2008). Practical guide to the evaluation of clinical competence. Philadelphia PA.: Mosby Elsevier. • Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., II, & Swanson, R. A. (2005). The adult learner the definitive classic in adult education and human resource development (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Elsevier. • Polit, D. E., & Beck, C. T. (2008). Nursing research generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice (8th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.