NRSG622 12.2009

NRSG 622 Curriculum Design, Assessment, and Evaluation

Master of Science in Nursing

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NRSG622 12.2009

CONTRIBUTORS

The following individuals contributed to the completion of this

course of study:

Dr. Bonnie J. Beardsley

Olivet Nazarene University

March 2008

NRSG 622Curriculum Design, Assessment, and Evaluation

Statement of Faith
“As an educational enterprise of the Church of the Nazarene, we pursue truth in order to glorify the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: praying for the coming of the spirit; remembering the promise of Scripture and tradition; keeping our hearts faithfully attuned to the voice of God; and being thoughtfully, acutely, and critically engaged.” 2002-2004 Catalog. Bourbonnais, IL: OlivetNazareneUniversity. /

Course Description/Overview

The course will prepare the student to design curriculum and evaluate its effectiveness. Students will design, implement, and assess outcomes through a mini curriculum project. The student will consider their personal educational philosophy when determining ways to engage learners and assess learning outcomes. Various methods of course delivery are considered including distance delivery, online modalities, and emerging trends in education.

Course LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

  1. Discuss the historical roots of nursing curriculum and the faculty’s role and responsibilities in curriculum development, revision, and evaluation.
  1. Analyze theories, models, and research findings specific to best practices in nursing education required to meet the needs of a diverse and changing workforce.
  1. Examine internal and external influences when reviewing and developing curricula.
  1. Conduct a review of the key components of a curriculum or educational program in logical sequence considering changes in the profession, health care, society, and forecast for the future.
  1. Integrate principles of education, teaching-learning theory, and research in planning, designing, and implementing a curriculum.
  2. Design a curriculum inclusive of traditional and authentic evaluation tools as potential methods of assessment.
  1. Discuss the process of evaluation and assessment in course and program outcomes including collecting, managing, and utilizing data for continuous quality improvement.

Course Materials

Required Textbooks:

Billings, D. M., & Halstead, J. A. (2009). Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty (3rd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier.

Bradshaw, M. J., & Lowenstein, A. J. (2007). Innovative teaching strategies in nursing and related health professions (4th ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

Emerson, R. J. (2007). Nursing education in the clinical setting. St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier.

Iwasiw, C. L., Goldenberg, D., & Andrusyszyn, M.-A. (2006). Curriculum development in nursing education (2nd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

McKeachie, W.J., & Svinicki, M. (2006). McKeachie’s teaching tips:Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Courses are presented via blackboard through distance delivery. This format will enable participants to complete work in a flexible manner. Textbooks, articles, and access to blackboard will be made available to the learner. Online assignments will include discussion topics, individual assignments, and projects as outlined in the syllabus.

Special Requirements:

Internet Access

Microsoft Office Software

Completion of the Online Blackboard Training Student Classroom is required.

course assignments/assessments

The learning outcomes will be fostered and assessed in a variety of ways. As best practice suggests, assessment will be formative and summative and will include the application of acquired course knowledge to real world practice settings. This course will include the following:

Weekly discussion postings

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

CUMULATIVE PORTFOLIO

Assignments / Points
Discussion Postings / 6 @
5 points / 30
Assignment I:
Educator Interview
DUE WEEK 2 -DAY7 / 10
Assignment II:
Curriculum Planning Observation
DUE WEEK 6 - DAY 3 / 15
Assignment III:
Classroom Observation
DUE WEEK 6 - DAY 3 / 15
ASSIGNMENT IV:
Course Critique
DUE WEEK4 - DAY 7 / 15
Assignment V:
Clinical Lab Observation
DUE WEEK 6 - DAY 3 / 15
TOTAL COURSE POINTS / 100

Weekly workshop topics

Week 1: Historical foundation of curriculum

Week 2: Curriculum design and best practice in education

Week 3: Factors that influence curriculum

Week 4: Planning and designing curriculum

Week 5: curriculum & Program evaluation and accreditation

Week 6:Issues and Trends, Challenges for the Future

Attendance Participation

Students are required to participate in class at least three different days each week. Your initial posting is NOT a RESPONSE to classmates. Both the quantity and quality of participation are evaluated. In courses where there are team/group activities, those discussions are NOT counted as part of the discussion postings. In addition to participation, the discussion rubric provides further details on possible points according to quality of posting.

Student Participation
Courses are not to be considered independent study courses. Instead courses are considered to be essential shared learning communities. Therefore, it is imperative that students participate with substantive and timely postings to the online discussion board as outlined in the course syllabus. Failure to post the expected frequency and quality will result in grade reduction for the discussion. Students are not allowed to post ahead in any week. If a student posts ahead, faculty will delete the post.

Faculty Participation
Faculty is expected to facilitate student personal, professional, and spiritual growth through guided responses which provide critical insight, stimulate new ideas, or raise awareness. Faculty is required to be accessible to the student which is demonstrated through visibility and quality feedback on discussions and submitted assignments. It is reasonable for students to expect the faculty will be online at least once per day and to be reasonably accessible to students by providing contact information in their biography link. Students are required to utilize the Olivet email address when communicating. The use of personal email addresses is not allowed. Faculty are to return the student assignments within 7 days of due date. The returned assignment should reflect appropriate comments using the course grading rubric. Further, the student can expect the faculty will provide comments that facilitate personal and professional development in the academic setting. Faculty is expected to respond to questioning and student emails within 48 hours except on holidays and weekends. If the response requires additional time the faculty should communicate this to the student.

Student Attendance

Students are expected to communicate directly with the course instructor regarding any circumstance that may result in absence of course participation. Course participation is met through discussion postings and submission of assignments by the required due date.

School of Graduate and Continuing Studies – Attendance Policy

  • One absence (and only one) may be excused without the grade being affected provided make-up work is satisfactory completed:
  • The learner must contact the instructor.
  • The absence must be the result of unavoidable circumstances.
  • Make-up work is satisfactory completed before the start of the following workshop.

If the first absence is unexcused, the following scale will be used for grade reduction:

  • For courses with 7, 8, or 9 workshops/sessions:
  • 1st absence will result in a final course grade no higher than a “B”
  • 2nd absence will result in a final course grade no higher than a “C”
  • 3rd absence will result in a final course grade of “F”
  • For courses with 4, 5, or 6 workshops/sessions:
  • 1st absence will result in a final course grade no higher than a “C”
  • 2nd absence will result in a final course grade of “F”)
  • All subsequent absences(if first absence is excused) will result in an automatic grade reduction.
  • The number of absences relative to grade reduction will reflect number of workshops in the course (assuming one absence is excused based on the approved criteria listed above):
  • For courses with 7, 8, or 9 workshops/sessions:
  • 2nd absence will result in a final course grade no higher than a “B”
  • 3rd absence will result in a final course grade no higher than a “C”
  • 4th absence will result in a final course grade of “F”
  • For courses with 4, 5, or 6 workshops/sessions:
  • 2nd absence will result in a final course grade no higher than a “C”
  • 3rd absence will result in a final course grade of “F”
  • For courses with 2 or 3 workshops/sessions
  • An alternative cohort must be found so learner can attend the course in total
  • Grades will be monitored with final attendance.
  • Grades must reflect absence – no exceptions.
  • If the first absence is not excused or the learner does not complete the necessary make-up work, the grade will be reduced beginning with the first absence.
  • Instructors will address tardiness on an individual basis. Learners are expected to arrive for class on time and remain for the entire four hour period.

Attendance – Online Courses

  • Learners in online courses must post at least one, substantive online message per course week to be considered in attendance.
  • Failure to log in and post at least once per week will result in an absence.
  • Participation is not the same as attendance. Participation requirements are determined by the instructor and will be thoroughly explained in the course syllabus.

Absence is defined as not fulfilling any of the above requirements. Due to the nature of some discussions, instructors may not allow students to post in advance or in retrospect to discussions due to absences.

EVALUATION PROCEDURE AND Grading System

95 – 100A

92 – 94.9A-

89 – 91.9B+

86 – 88.9B

83 – 85.9B-

80 – 82.9C+

77 – 79.9C______

74 – 76.9C- Non-passing scores

71 – 73.9D+

68 – 70.9D

65 – 67.9D-

The student will receive credit for the assignments in the following ways:

ASSIGNMENTS

Points will be given based on the assignment and the Rubric provided. Each week the course guide will provide the student with the required assignment. The grading rubric for the assignment should be utilized by the learner as a guide for formulating written objectives. Faculty will add the grading rubric, their comments, and final points received for each student when returning student assignments.A student with an unexcused absence will receive an automatic 50% grade reduction for any assignment submitted during that week.

DISCUSSIONS

Participation points will be given based on the Discussion Posting Requirements and the Rubric provided. See the link for grading Rubric. To ensure all members of the learning community have sufficient time to respond to discussions, you are expected to adhere to the following guide for discussion posting:

  • Post your initial activity no later than the third day of each week by 11:59 p.m.
  • Respond to three of your colleagues’ initialpostings during each week on three different days.
  • Provide colleagues with reflective thoughts, personal experience, resources, or general thoughts regarding their insight to the activity or topic.
  • Posting after the required date will result in a grade reduction as stated in the rubric.

Each week the student will respond to the discussion objective as directed. The discussion posting is a large part of learning in an online environment. The grading for discussion activities is outlined in the course grading rubric. Students are required to support their discussions with citations, write using APA format and provide a reference list at the bottom of their posting.

LATE WORK POLICY
No late papers/assignments will be accepted after the date and time stated in the syllabus or otherwise stated by the professor. In extreme circumstances exceptions may be made (i.e. illness). However, this must be agreed upon by the student and professor prior to the due date.

Incomplete Grades

Students are given an incomplete for a course at the discretion of the instructor and the Associate Director of Nursing. Normally this is granted for a period of no more than one week beyond the end of a course. The student must have 85% of the course work completed. No opportunity is offered to make up any missing discussion postings. Points for discussion activities are provided according to the rubric.

POLICIES ON PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is defined as use of intellectual material produced by another person without acknowledging its course. For example:

  • Wholesale copying of passages from works of others into an assignment, paper, posting, or thesis without acknowledgement.
  • Using the views, opinions, or insights of another without acknowledgement.
  • Paraphrasing another person’s characteristic or original phraseology, metaphor, or other literary device without acknowledgment.
  • Faculty will monitor for evidence of plagiarism. All work must be submitted through the correct blackboard process to be assessed for evidence of plagiarism.
  • Self-plagiarism is the use of the learner’s work from a previous class and is highly discouraged. Should the learner’s previous work be used, it must be cited as such.

For further information on Olivet Nazarene University Conduct and Responsibilities see the Catalog at the course link (ONU Bulletin).

Students suspected of plagiarism require faculty to contact the Chair, Director of Nursing Department at ONU directly.

Disability Support Services

It is the policy of Olivet Nazarene University to accommodate students with disabilities in accordance with federal and state laws. Any student with a disability who needs accommodation, for example in arranging seating, extended time for examinations, tutors or note-takers, should present faculty teaching courses where accommodation is appropriate a Notice of Approval for Accommodation from the Learning Development Center. If you, as a student with a disability, have difficulty accessing any part of the course materials or activities for this class, please notify the instructor immediately. Accommodations for test-taking must be arranged at least 5 business days in advance. All students seeking test accommodations must take their exams in the Learning Development Center. Students may apply for accommodations or services by clicking on the Learning Center Services link on the main page of Blackboard.

COURSE FORMAT

The following is an overview of the course format with a description of each area found in the classroom environment. The course consists of 6 weeks. Each week contains activities and assignments that will enhance learners’ understanding of the topic. The activities and the assignments are sequential and therefore it is important the student follow the weekly sequence as outlined through the course.

OVERVIEWWEEK 1

Historically, society has influenced health professions’ curriculum and health professions’ curriculum has influenced society. Understanding this concept helps us realize that the curriculum is in a constant state of change. When considering curriculum or program development from a larger perspective, Systems Theory and Change Theory are useful tools.

All curricula, no matter what their design, are composed of certain elements. These include statement of aims and specific objectives; organization of content; it manifests certain patterns of learning and teaching, whether because the objectives demand them or because the content organization requires them. Finally, it includes a program evaluation of the outcomes.

Most agree that curriculum is the responsibility of nurse educators, and one of the ways in which nurse educators can most profoundly effect change is through curriculum development. To design a curriculum is to develop the master plan of an academic, staff development, or patient education program, and this means giving shape to the nursing care of the future (Billings& Halstead, 2005).

RESOURCES WEEK 1

Devotion

READING ASSIGNMENT WEEK 1

Iwasiw, C. L., Goldenberg, D., & Andrusyszyn, M.-A. (2006). Curriculum development in nursing education (2nd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

Chapter 1- “Introduction to Context Relevant Curriculum Development in Nursing Education” (review)

Chapter 2- “Faculty Support for Curriculum Development”

Chapter 3 – “Leading Curriculum Development”

Practice Exercise Activity

Review the Olivet Nazarene University Department of Nursing Handbook and University Catalog and locate the following concepts as defined:

Concepts Table Definitions

Philosophy- Faculty beliefs about their profession and education provide direction as curriculum is developed. The philosophy, along with the organizing framework, forms a frame of reference for the curriculum. The common concepts that are defined within these documents in nursing are person, health, nursing, environment, teaching,and learning.

Mission- University statements about values/focus of the college or university. The schools of nursing, medicine, and allied health missions should mesh with this statement.

Conceptual Framework- Organizing framework for the curriculum. This document has been described as a "road map" for the program.

Threads and Themes-Strategies for arranging curriculum. Vertical threads build in complexity from start to finish of program (for example, clinical skills start basic in 101 course and future courses build on and enhance that skill). Horizontal threads are themes that are repeated in various courses across the curriculum. For example, the concept of loss could be covered in pediatrics, then young adult, then geriatric population.

Core Curriculum- Basic courses in a program that all other courses and programs build on.

Content Maps- Organizing tools. Useful for mapping out content concepts in a grid.

Sample resources:

  • Concept Mapping and Curriculum Design
    University of Tennessee, Chattanooga

Leveled Objectives- Objectives should be specific to level of knowledge and skills that students need in a particular course. Early courses in the curriculum have fairly basic objectives. Later courses will show increasingly complex objectives (levels of knowledge/skill).

Evidence Based Practice- Just as the clinician strives for practice based on research this also applies to the educator. For the educator this includes a focus on using state of the art, best practices in teaching. These practices will ideally be research based.

Outcomes – What products and skills will our graduates produce by the end of their education? What characteristics can society expect they will exude?

DISCUSSION ACTIVITY WEEK 1

The philosophy of a program lays the groundwork for and gives direction to all which follows. As faculty define their views on their professions and education, they help define what they want to accomplish with their programs and what they need to do to achieve that.

Reflect on your personal philosophy and teaching philosophy. If you are a nursing faculty, what are your definitions of Person, Health, Nursing, Environment (core nursing concepts), and for Health Professional, Education, Teaching and Learning? For this discussion reflect on your definitions and philosophical perspectives and respond to one of the following topics that best aligns with your personal position.Imagine too, leading a highly diverse group of nurse educators through curriculum development or revision. After posting your discussion, read all of your colleagues’ postings and respond to at least three of your colleagues’ postings.