INVESTIGATION OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPOSAL FOR THE DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN NURSING IN A UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING THROUGH TABA'S CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT MODEL.
Contributors: University of Kansas.
Published: 1984
Number of pages: 200
Subjects: Education, Curriculum and Instruction.
Description: The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine the decisions and decision making process of a university school of nursing faculty during development of the proposal for a doctor of philosophy in nursing degree. Following reconstruction of the events during the development of the proposal, the decisions and decision making process were examined using an instrument developed by the author from Taba's (1962) curriculum development model. The instrument was composed of 50 questions divided into four sections. These sections, components of the curriculum development process, were: the objectives to be achieved; selection of curriculum experiences; centers for organizing data; and the scope and sequence scheme.

Critique of the decisions and decision making process through the instrument developed by the author from Taba's (1962) curriculum development model revealed the following conclusions: The philosophy, although extant in draft form, was not completed and adopted until after the proposal was completed. Committees often worked independently on components of the curriculum and presented drafts of their ideas to faculty on the Graduate Education Committee at bimonthly meetings for information and input. The curriculum committee suggested dividing the nursing major into areas of theory, empirics, and aesthetics. The aesthetics component was not originally included in draft philosophy or terminal objectives, but was subsequently added. Course titles and descriptions were developed for the proposal, but without objectives or learning experiences much of the curriculum could not be evaluated.

Assessment with the instrument additionally revealed a need for additional faculty with sustained post-doctoral research, but there was an adequate number of doctorally prepared faculty members. There was a documented need for a doctoral degree in nursing in the region and a pool of students. Although no additional state funding for the doctoral program was available, the number of faculty positions in the school had been increased recently and was adequate.

The instrument developed by the author was long and sometimes difficult to use without reference to Taba's (1962) work.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-04, Section: A, page: 0884.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS, 1984.

School code: 0099.