A Letter To My Future Students...

Dear Partners-in-Learning,

I am so excited to be a part of your educational experience, and am looking forward to a sharing relationship based on mutual caring and respect. I envision my role, as an educator, to function much like a guide, facilitator, or navigator as we construct your learning experiences.

Prior to exploring the possibilities of a student-centered educational paradigm, my approach to education was somewhat unrealistic and uni-dimensional. I had felt that educational relationships equaled the teacher teaching, and the student learning. In other words, I felt the learning relationship was a one-way street where the teacher was responsible for dispensing education, while the student’s accountability was to consume and digest what was being dispensed, as a take-it or leave-it opportunity.  This teacher-centered educational approach mimics how I was taught during most of my educational experiences. Looking back upon my own nursing education, I recognized and wanted to reflect some of the excellent characteristics of my most memorable educators; however, I did not truly understand, nor appreciate the benefits of the educational paradigm of student-centeredness, based on a learning theory of constructivism, nor the benefits of an active learning environment.

Many opportunities have been afforded to me, by continuing my education. Specifically, I have been allowed to reflect upon, invest in, and embrace some evidence-supported educational theories, teaching strategies, and other practices to help guide me as a nurse educator. I have begun to build a toolbox of teaching strategies, and evaluation tools that, I hope, will promote your learning. Within my toolbox are some excellent technology based learning tools that can be used to advance our learning, while improving our computer, and writing skills. Using some of these growing technologies will support our active learning environment while providing some moments of fun; however we should never lose sight of our learning objectives. As I promote our technological learning opportunities, I will attempt to recognize and respond to the needs of those students considered to be digital natives, digital immigrants, or those digitally naive. For those learners that consider themselves, digitally naive, fear not: as we will have many technological resources available to support your learning.  For those considered digital natives, please know that I am more of a digital immigrant, and I look forward to you sharing your skills. Our experiences together will not only help to advance your educational and technological learning, but will further add teaching strategies to my toolbox.

To help move us forward in our partners-in-learning relationship, I charge each of us to follow my growing list of commandments of learning:

•          Always be respectful
•          Be open to explore alternative learning opportunities
•          Communicate clearly
•          Demonstrate caring
•          Embrace and encourage other perspectives
•          Be flexible
•          Be present, invested and involved in the active-learning process
•          Appreciate and enjoy the Aha! Moments

Greater learning success will be reaped once we partner our best efforts. 

Together we can!

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” 

–Plutarch (Roman historian, biographer, and essayist)

Nursing Informatics ~ A Self Reflection

The NLN’s core competencies for nurse educators includes tasks aimed at addressing informatics competencies. To advance student learning the educator should employ and embrace information technologies, be prepared to perform routine self-assessments of informatics skills, and demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning.With these competencies in mind, I have examined my own informatics competence. I have determined that I am neither a “digital native”; nor am I “digitally naive”. I consider myself more of a “digital immigrant”, learning the culture and the language by living within the culture. I took the opportunity to perform a web-based self-assessment of my technology skills that when scored, reported my assessment as: “confident of ability to use a variety of computer programs. Sees computers as beneficial in the development of society. Confident of ability to use a variety of computer programs. Sees computers as beneficial in the development of society. Enthusiastic view of the potential of computer use in healthcare”.

Throughout my career, I have had technological opportunities offered to me that I’m sure were related to my natural technological interest [a.k.a. talents]. Some of these opportunities include an invitation to participate in computerized nursing documentation implementation workgroups, and an IV infusion pump technology workgroup. My computer skills are mostly self-taught through the process of experimentation, and wonderment. Many of my recreational moments are spent with my laptop. For the most part, I believe my technology skills are above average. However, in the vein of self-reflection, my technological skills are not without the need for improvement. I have always desired to advance my skills with performance software such as MS Excel, while learning more software keyboard shortcuts, and  better troubleshooting skills for those frustrating problematic moments that are inherent with computer technology. I also desire to obtain improved “Smart Board” skills, as my very limited experience with the use of the device has not been intuitive.

 I have found that when it comes to technology, a little education can go a long way. Much of the learning required to obtain technology competence is generally done by exploring and discovery. This can be evidenced by the 6 weeks spent in a Nursing Informatics class. During this short period of time, I was able to build upon my current skills. The completion of some of the assigned skills such as professional web-based searches, audio and video recording, web-conferencing, making interesting presentations using tools available on the intranet, and creating and maintaining a blog helped to advance my overall computer skills and broadened by vision of what is technologically available. Additionally, sharing this class experience with classmates also facilitated the advancement of my skills, as there was much sharing of skills occurring between the student-learners. I now live in a world beyond PowerPoint presentations and handouts.

As I advance into the nurse educator role, I intend to routinely perform a self-assessment of my skills, knowledge, abilities, and attitude towards the curriculum and necessary competencies. I look forward to a shared learning culture with my learners, as I am sure they have much to teach, as well as to learn. When performing a routine self-assessment, and self-reflection, it is important to review current recommended competencies, while reviewing rich web-based resources, such as those available on the NLNwebsite.  Recognizing certification programs promote excellence in nursing, education, and health care, the nurse educator may find it beneficial to obtain a CNE (Certified Nurse Educator), DPR (Digital Patient Record), or other appropriate certification which reflects a commitment to nursing informatics.

NLN Position Statement: Preparing the Next Generation of Nurses To Practice in A Technology-Rich Environment: An Informatics Agenda

Authentic Assessment & Feed Forward

Authentic Assessment and a Feed Forward approach work, individually and collaboratively, to advance active student learning. The 21^st century educator recognizes the need to assess for learning as opposed to performing assessments of learning (Ferrell, & Gray, n.d.). The use of technology can help support authentic assessment and a feed forward approach. High-fidelity patient simulation (HFPS) debriefings, and virtual world testing represent just two technologies representing authentic assessment. Recorded audio feedback technology provides an excellent medium for the educator to employ a feed forward approach.

Authentic assessments allow for a student to demonstrate what they know, while using real-world skills and tasks. Traditional assessments, such as multiple-choice tests, if well-designed, can test a student’s body of knowledge; however, an authentic assessment tests for the student’s ability to implement, synthesize, and evaluate their knowledge-demonstrating a higher level of learning (Mueller, 2014).Authentic assessments in nursing education frequently require the student to perform a task using appropriate critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills, that is then measured against a grading rubric.

Feed forward represents a formative dialogue that promotes the student’s future learning. Feedback as imperative as it is, recognizes and comments on the successes and mistakes of the past. Feedback is frequently a recognition of past needed improvements; whereas, feed forward provides suggestions for the student to make improvements moving into the future. A feed forward approach is very advantageous to the student. The student easily recognizes that feedback is a rear-view mirror approach, and they cannot remedy the past. Most students are negatively affected when receiving feedback as they may feel defeated. When educators use a feed forward approach, as opposed to feeling defeated, the students are allowed to feel challenged, and then accomplished.

I feel that authentic assessments are sometimes best performed using learning technologies such as blogs, journals, and e-portfolios; thereby, allowing me, as an educator to assess the self-evaluation, and self-reflections of the student. As an educator, the development of an appropriate rubric to best assess for student learning, and the translation of assessment expectations is key to the successful completion of the course learning objectives. Having only recently been introduced to the feed forward concept, I look forward to integrating this approach into my teaching, as I feel the scaffolding activity of this approach not only improves student learning, but also improves the student-educator relationship. I also feel that modelling a feed forward approach for our nursing students may be very helpful as these students become patient educators. 

References

Ferrell, G., & Gray, L. (n.d.). Feedback and feed forward. Accessed from:  http://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/feedback-and-feed-forward

Mueller, J. (2014). What is authentic assessment? Authentic Assessment Toolbox. Accessed from:  http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/whatisit.htm

Interdisciplinary Learning & Collaboration with Technology

Using collaboration to promote an interdisciplinary approach working towards a common goal has been shown to improve the overall patient experience. The Joint Commission’s National Patient Safety Goals reflect the importance of collaboration in promoting and maintaining patient safety. Collaboration and interdisciplinary relationships do not come naturally to patient care providers. However these relationships can be improved upon with practice, and an improved understanding of the interdisciplinary roles, and their contributions to the patient care goals.

According to Dillon, Noble, and Kaplan (2009), the cause of most patient related errors occur due to interdisciplinary communication failures. Recognizing that most health care disciplines were responding to patient needs as “silos” as opposed to a recommended model of an interdisciplinary “synergy”, The Joint Commission, the IOM, The World Health Organization, and the AACN have recommended an interdisciplinary educational model. The QSEN Institute has a faculty resource module that advocates patient safety by promoting an interprofessional education (IPE), and providing examples of IPE activities for faculty. Technology opportunities such as High Fidelity Patient Simulation (HFPS) and virtual world, or other serious play experiences can be easily adapted for IPE.

I have been blessed in my career to have had exemplary interdisciplinary relationships advocating for common patient care goals. Our interdisciplinary team consists of a core group of representatives from medicine, nursing, social work, OT/PT, speech and swallow therapy, nutrition, child life, community health nursing, and chaplain services, that meets weekly. This interdisciplinary group addresses short term and long term patient and family needs; including immediate and long-term health care needs; determining discharge planning criteria; family support; addressing financial and social supports; tutoring needs; as well as, potential home care needs. Unfortunately, as an interprofessional group we recognize that this relationship has taken almost 10 years to be established. We all agree that this relationship would have flourished many years ago, if IPE had been incorporated into each of our educational programs, as each of us graduated from or respective educational programs as “silos” and have had to grow into an interprofessional group advocating for our common goal-patient safety and the administration of quality care.

Activities such as HFPS that include student-professionals from multiple patient care  disciplines, offer excellent communication  building, and team work opportunities. There are  many examples of simulated interdisciplinary  patient code examples available on the intranet,  however many do not demonstrate the imperative post-debriefing of the simulation exercise. As the IOM, AACN, WHO, and The Joint Commission have recognized, the time to include IPE into our professional curricula has come.

Reference

Dillon, P. M., Noble, K. A., & Kaplan, L. (2009). Simulation as a means to     foster collaborative interdisciplinary education. Nursing Education Perspectives, 30, (2), 87-90.