Designing, Implementing, and Evaluating Web-based Learning Resources for Teaching Practice Competencies to Beginning Nursing Students

TitleDesigning, Implementing, and Evaluating Web-based Learning Resources for Teaching Practice Competencies to Beginning Nursing Students
Faculty/College/UnitApplied Science
StatusCompleted
Duration1 Year
Initiation04/01/2003
Completion03/31/2004
Project Summary

Nursing curricula must inevitably embrace the goals and aims of competent professional practice in preparing nurses for contemporary practice, and in helping graduates make the transition from student nurse to competent practitioner. Traditional educational experiences for developing professional competence are often characterized as teacher-focused, subjective and inconsistent. Increasing enrolments and demanding schedules for clinical practicums present the added challenge of providing learning experiences for nursing students that capitalize on flexible access to educational methods, value the process of active learning and promote the ongoing self-development and validation of competencies essential for beginning and advanced practice. Promoting competence in nursing education requires a focus on the specific practice competencies to be demonstrated along with the interactive learning strategies and outcomes that are consistent with contemporary practice and lifelong learning.

This proposal is focused on the creation of computer-based learning resources to be used by beginning nursing students in developing core competencies required for practice. Specifically, the resources will be designed to integrate process with content; foster unity between the learning process and the learner; employ competency-based outcomes; be based on the Standards for Nursing Practice; and be accessible in multiple formats including web-based.

Existing learning modules developed for Roles and Competencies for Nursing Practice I (Nurs 320), a course designed to teach clinical competencies in the first semester of the undergraduate nursing program, will be developed to integrate the web-based resources created. Content that is core to many competencies learned in the first semester will be targeted for this proposal specifically, 'Working safely in a health care environment: Principles of Infection Control'. The resources produced through this project will be developed using authoring software and instructional design principles to create a template for further module development of N320 content related to core competencies for nursing practice.

Funding Details
Year 1: Project YearYear 1
Year 1: Funding Year2003/2004
Year 1: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 1: Principal InvestigatorCathryn Jackson
Year 1: Funded Amount20,000
Year 1: Team Members

Cathryn Jackson, Nursing, Faculty of Applied Science
Chip Scott, Multimedia Developer, Nursing, Faculty of Applied Science
Diane Janes, Instructional Designer, Distance Education and Technology
Cyprien Lomas, Authoring Software Consultant, Skylight, Faculty of Science