Assessing learning in clinical practice: The structured clinical log of a reflective portfolio...

“Good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and the integrity of the teacher” (Palmer, 2007, p. 10)

Defining the Defining the experience…experience…

UncertaintyUncertainty – “Unknowing”

Opportunity Meaning and

possibilities Questioning approach Critical inquiry

“To teach and nurse effectively, we need to know ourselves. This is what we bring to our teaching and nursing partnerships, and it can be a catalyst for provoking caring and social change” (McEldowney, 2003, p. 220).

“Emancipatory teaching … fosters a spirit of inquiry, an independence of thought, an ability to question prevailing assumptions, and a confidence with which to meet the complexities of a dynamic health care system” (Myrick & Tamlyn, 2007, p. 301)

“The goal of instruction becomes creating an opportunity for learning that integrates content knowledge with knowledge of context” (Forneris & Peden-McAlpine, 2006)

Critical Thinking in PracticeCritical Thinking in Practice(Forneris, 2004, as cited in Forneris & Peden-McAlpine, (Forneris, 2004, as cited in Forneris & Peden-McAlpine, 2006, p. 2)2006, p. 2)

TimeContext

Reflection

Dialogue

SelfSelf--Regulated Learning Theory Regulated Learning Theory (Kuiper & Pesut, 2004)(Kuiper & Pesut, 2004)

Behavioral Self-regulation Self-monitoring

Self-observation of performance

Knowledge Work Thinking Processes

Self-judgment of improvements Competence

Self-reactions

Environmental Self-regulation

Of Skills/Activities Physical Context

Preceptor/Staff/Patients

Metacognitive Self-regulation

Self-evaluation Self-correction

Of Goals

Self-efficacy Knowledge use

Thinking strategies

Interpretation Analysis Inference

Explanation Evaluation

“Purposeful, self-regulatory judgment that results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference as well as the explanation of evidential, conceptual, methodical, criteriological or contextual considerations upon which that judgment is based”(Facione, 1990, as cited in Kuiper & Pesut, 2004, p. 383).

Critical Thinking is…Critical Thinking is…

The QuestionThe Question

What is the effect of a structured clinical log within a reflective portfolio on the assessment of learning (as measured by self-efficacy and critical thinking skills) and competence in the clinical practice of undergraduate nursing students?

The InterventionThe Intervention

Narrative Reflective Journaling “Narrative captures the experience by

organizing human actions and events within a composite or real-life experience… Narrative creates understanding by illuminating causal thinking… temporal aspects of the human experience as it changes over time.” (Forneris & Peden-McAlpine, 2006, p. 3)

Guided Narrative Reflection Guided Narrative Reflection ProcessProcess (Forneris & Peden-McAlpine, 2006)(Forneris & Peden-McAlpine, 2006)

Describe a story

Guide critical reflection

Consider alternative perspectives

Integrate learning into future practice experiences

Self EfficacySelf Efficacy

Internality, Powerful Others and Chance (IPC) Scales (Levinson, 1981, as cited in Harvey & McMurray, 1994)

Assesses three aspects of control

1. Belief in one’s own ability

2. Role of external factors in controlling life events

3. Role of chance

CompetenceCompetence

Self-appraisal with 6-D scale (Schwirian, 1978)

1. Leadership

2. Critical Care

3. Teaching/Collaboration

4. Planning/Evaluation

5. Interpersonal Relations/Communications

6. Professional Development

Self appraisal with comparison to Benner’s (1984) Novice to

Expert behaviours

Phenomenological approach to understand how nursing “skills” and behaviours are attained through time, from novice to expert

UNCG (University of North UNCG (University of North Carolina at Greensboro) Critical Carolina at Greensboro) Critical Thinking Skills Evaluation Thinking Skills Evaluation Instrument Instrument (Sorrell, Brown, Cipriano Silva & Kohlenberg, 1997)

Likert scale on how students perform certain skills (5=independent to 1=unable to perform, even with consistent guidance)

1. Ability to analyze and interpret

2. Draws logical inferences

3. Evaluates and justifies inferences

4. Deductive reasoning

5. Inductive reasoning

Data AnalysisData Analysis

Correlation of narrative reflective journaling compared to competence, self efficacy and critical thinking skills at students’ various stages of education and practice

Is this relationship significant?

Is it even possible to detect a relationship, given the number of other factors affecting students’ learning?

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