THE BEHAVIORS OF NURSE EDUCATORS FOR A PROCESS OF EVALUATING STUDENTS (NEW YORK).
Contributors: Columbia University. Teachers College.
Published: 1984
Number of pages: 182
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Given the importance of the accurate evaluation of students to nursing education and practice, little is known empirically about how nurse educators perform this complex and difficult function. Therefore, this descriptive study was undertaken to determine nurse educators' reports of their overt behaviors for a process of evaluating students. The specific purposes of the study were to describe the reported behaviors of nurse educators for evaluating students and to determine the relationship between selected demographic characteristics of respondents and their reports of evaluation behaviors.

The conceptual framework was based on a concept of evaluation developed for this study and on models of evaluation. The model selected for the study consisted of three phases: planning, collecting information, and using information from evaluation (Bolton, 1974).

Participants were a random sample of educators (N = 324) in 32 programs located within a 100-mile radius of New York City. Of the 324 educators, 81 were employed in baccalaureate degree, 108 in associate degree, and 135 in diploma programs.

The critical incident technique was used to identify the evaluation behaviors of educators. The study instrument, a self-administered questionnaire, requested participants to describe two particularly effective and particularly ineffective incidents of either their own or a colleague's evaluation behavior, to identify the settings of the behaviors, and to supply demographic information. Data were collected during group interviews.

A total of 1237 usable (629 effective and 608 ineffective) behaviors was submitted. Using content analysis procedures, the behaviors were abstracted and organized into a behavioral classification that consisted of 3 areas, 7 categories, and 24 subcategories. The classification provides a set of critical behaviors for enacting the evaluation role. Most behaviors were described for the clinical setting, followed by the classroom, and then an instructor's office.

No statistically significant relationships were found between selected demographic characteristics of participants (type of program, specialty area of clinical course, and preparation for evaluation) and their reported behaviors.

Recommendations are made for educators in the enactment of their evaluation roles, the preservice and inservice training of nurse educators, and future research.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-08, Section: B, page: 2498.

Thesis (ED.D.)--COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TEACHERS COLLEGE, 1984.

School code: 0055.