Week 2 Blog: Clarifying My Assignment

Course: Theory and Philosophy of Scholarly Teaching

Assignment: Application of the Inquiry Style of Learning

Theme: Identity as a Scholarly Teacher

Brenda’s Question of Interest: How can the criteria “to grow cognitively, performatively and affectively in nursing education” be objectively measured?

Interest, Known Answers & Anticipation: The current methods of measurement of learning in nursing might not be adequate. There is a level of openness and skepticism in questionning that the method of measuring learning as adequate, since the broadening of learning through achievement in the Level 1University Teaching Certificate courses. As a practicing Registered Nurse who graduated from and is teaching within an accredited Faculty of Nursing and is registered in Ontario and Michigan, I believe humility in adequately answering the question is required in order to improve the profession of nursing. It challenges the very system which has labeled me as adequate (versus inadequate) to practice nursing. My anticipation is that the criteria will be objective and acceptable, but might find myself surprised by what the research has to say. (Green Guide Inquiry as Active Investigation, Hudspith and Jenkins, 2001).

Investigation research sources for exploring this question will involve empirical data involving the process aspect, and possibly evaluative research, likely from educational journals from assessment and evaluation articles. There is an inherent need in answering this posed question to show the similarities between the published research data, from the context of journal authors’ populations studied and nursing education.

Rasmussen Characteristics

High level – it is analytical;

Divergent – it likely has multiple possible answers;

Structured – this “how” question can easily lead to “why” discussions; has 3 or 4 bounds (“cognitive, affective and performative”); and, has purpose “objective measurement”.

Straight forward – it easily grasped and to the point

Underlying assumptions include:

“there is growth in university education”;

“growth can be defined as cognitive, affective or performative”;

“these are appropriate parts of nursing education”

“they can be objectively measured” and

Interrogating the Question: Is there consistency of university education versus the profession’s criteria of adequate education?

Sources of controversy within this question could be inherent in the chosen terms. Operational definitions need to be developed in order to circumvent potential dissention with the possible answers. Key terms requiring definition are: growth, cognitive, performative, affective and objective measurement.