ASSESSMENT OF BELIEFS ABOUT CONDITIONS AFFECTING ADULT LEARNING IN BACCALAUREATE NURSING PROGRAMS.
Contributors: University of Massachusetts (System)
Published: 1988
Number of pages: 221
Subjects: Education, Adult and Continuing.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: With the increasing enrollment of adult learners in higher education, there is a need to study educational issues related to the characteristics of this new clientele. The specific purposes of this study were: (1) to describe the beliefs of nurse faculty, registered nurse (RN) students and other adult learners in baccalaureate nursing programs regarding the importance of selected conditions for learning; (2) to determine areas of differences among the beliefs of these groups; and, (3) to describe the relationships between the expressed beliefs and selected demographic characteristics of each group.

The Andragogical Assessment Inventory based on Malcolm Knowles' theory of adult learning was the instrument used to elicit perceptions about learning conditions in baccalaureate nursing programs. Data for the study were obtained through administration of a questionnaire to all nurse faculty (N = 79) and all adult learners (RN students, N = 100; other adult learners, N = 52) in six randomly selected baccalaureate nursing programs that met the criteria for the study and agreed to participate. A total of 51% (N = 231) of the questionnaires were returned and usable in the data analysis.

The majority of all respondents indicated that important adult learning conditions should include: consideration of adult learner needs; required education in adult learning for nurse faculty; challenge examinations for general education courses; lecture/discussion as a teaching method; experience of adult learners as a resource; financial aid; participatory course evaluation; faculty experience in teaching adults; regular meetings of nurse faculty and adult learners; and, challenge examinations for nursing courses. The greatest differences in perceptions of importance of items occurred between nurse faculty and RN students related to participation in course planning and budget planning, faculty experience in teaching adults, separate classes for adults and younger students and consideration of the adult learner's needs.

The findings of this study present a challenge to nurse faculty to consider the unique characteristics of adult learners in making improvements in baccalaureate nursing programs.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-05, Section: A, page: 1036.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, 1988.

School code: 0118.