STUDENT AND FACULTY PERCEPTIONS OF REFLECTIVE DEVELOPMENT IN ADULT NURSING STUDENTS.
Contributors: Columbia University. Teachers College.
Published: 1993
Number of pages: 378
Subjects: Education, Higher.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Education, Adult and Continuing.
Description: William Perry and successors examined changes occurring in adults as they learn to think reflectively. These changes range from the stage wherein learners view educators as authorities, from whom truth is accepted, and progress to the stage wherein learners value authority, but see truth to vary contextually, based on multiple variables, including ideas and opinions of others. Facilitating adult learning literature shares commonalities with reflective development literature, especially related to critical reflection and action learning.

Reflective development is fundamental to nursing education today, as students struggle to master utilization of a rapidly-growing body of knowledge in critical, often life-threatening situations. Traditional, authoritarian modes of teaching seem to foster dependence on authority and rigid adherence to knowledge and procedures imparted by faculty.

This study examined reflective development as perceived by adult nursing students and program providers in higher education. Using qualitative case studies, it examined three institutions with nursing programs, through classroom observations, student and faculty interviews, and student critical incident responses. Analytic categories from reflective development and facilitating adult learning literature were used to code and analyze data.

It was found that discrepancies exist between student and faculty perceptions of development and learning preferences, students often identifying themselves as reflective thinkers, and preferring active classroom experiences. Most classes were taught in a traditional mode, utilizing lectures, due to large numbers of students and amount of content. Experience in promoting students' consideration of differences in cultures and ethical points of view were seldom provided. Opportunities to think and discuss reflectively were not afforded, as most interaction involved clarification.

Data analysis revealed the need for faculty to utilize reflective and active methods of teaching, assisting students to develop independent thinking. It is recommended that class size be reduced, that faculty vary methods of teaching, that an earlier focus on clinical learning be adopted, and that varying methods of evaluation be utilized. It is also recommended that nursing leaders work to change entry levels of practice, so that students from two, three, and four year programs are not responsible for identical licensure examinations, and therefore the same amount of classroom content.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-01, Section: A, page: 0054.

Thesis (ED.D.)--COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TEACHERS COLLEGE, 1993.

School code: 0055.