Development of Curriculum In Nursing Education
Stating the Need for Curriculum Development
Advances in nursing science and research have an impact on the current standard and level of nursing education programs. It is inevitable that nursing curriculum needs a reexamination of the traditional concepts and to be modified according to the needs. If the current curriculum has gaps and implementation problems there arises a need that it should be reviewed. The nursing education at undergraduate level will inform the future direction of nursing profession.
An article about curriculum revision in the 21 century discusses regarding an overloaded curriculum It emphasizes that the overloaded curriculum does not respond to students' interests and teachers feel pressured to cover the curriculum that may be pitched at a level that is too high for students to achieve . Additional challenges in curriculum development often arise from gaps between the intended curriculum, the implemented curriculum and ultimately, the achieved curriculum.
If a curriculum revision process is overly ambitious, is carried out within short timelines and is within an environment of low investment in teachers, problems will inevitably arise. A particular curriculum may include knowledge and require pedagogy that teachers may or may not have. The 21st century has seen a dramatic change in the development of nursing curricula.
Many of the programs of nursing have determined the need to move from the old way of nursing instruction, which included a focus on formal abstract theories and less focus on how this abstract knowledge technology would be used in clinical practice.Nursing education programs are obligated to challenge long held traditions and design evidence based curricula that are flexible, learner responsive, inter collaborative, provide a diverse experience, and use current technology.Unlike initial development, curriculum revision is not a one time event. Instead, curriculum revision should be reviewed as a process to ensure a quality program.
Transformative learning should be considered as the basic reason for curriculum revision. The relationship between transformative learning and institutional level changes are clearly described in the Lancet commission report as follows. Transformative learning is the proposed outcome of instructional reforms; interdependence in education should result from institutional reforms.
Instructional reforms should adopt competency driven approaches to instructional design; adapt these competencies to rapidly changing local conditions drawing on global resources, promote inter-professional and trans professional education that breaks down professional silos while enhancing collaborative and non hierarchical relationships in effective teams; exploit the power of information technology for learning, strengthen educational resources, with special emphasis on faculty development; and promote a new professionalism that uses competencies as objective criteria for classification of health professionals and that develops a common set of values around social accountability.
Institutional reforms should: establish in every country joint education and health planning mechanisms that take into account crucial dimensions, such as social origin, age distribution, and gender composition, of the health work force; expand academic centers to academic systems encompassing networks of hospitals and primary care units; link together through global networks, alliances, and consortia; and nurture a culture of critical inquiry.”
The feedback from stake holders, graduating students, faculty focus group discussions and feedback from current students will give a solid reason for the institutional curriculum revision. The current curriculum may have implementation difficulties and may also lead to proposed changes. The curriculum revision will take up a better shape when it is done in phases. This allows more time to plan and organize the review process.
Nurse educator's Role in Development of Curriculum
When considering curriculum revision, the program faculty should consider factors that occur within the nursing program and academic institution that may influence the outcome of curriculum revision. These factors include: type of program; institutional policies; human factors such as the number of faculty and staff; physical resources such as classroom space, types of course delivery, clinical sites; student characteristics: financial resources?
Adoption of competency based curricula those are responsive to rapidly changing needs rather than being dominated by static coursework. Competencies should be adapted to local contexts and be determined by national stakeholders, while harnessing global knowledge and experiences. Simultaneously, the present gaps should be filled in the range of competencies that are required to deal with 21st century challenges common to all countries, the response to global health security threats or the management of increasingly complex health systems.
The institutional curriculum revision or development is an ongoing process. It begins with the analysis of the major concepts related to various domains involved in the curriculum. The next step is to use a framework or design for the intended changes to be made. Review the vision, mission and goals of institution and develop the student learning outcomes based on program goals. Review the implementation structure and redefine if required.
Developing the desired courses with the ideal methods of evaluation is an important element in the curricular exercise. Developing the study plan and the required syllabi is the major time-consuming work in the designing and implementation phase. After developing the new curriculum for the process of evaluating a trail run is required to monitor the implementation difficulties. If required the process may need to be repeated from the analysis phase again.
Participants In The Curricular Development Process
Stakeholders, potential employers, outgoing graduates, faculty, students, higher level administrators (advisory council), members from clinical practice and the curriculum committee of the institution are the most work force; expand academic centers to academic systems encompassing networks of hospitals and primary care units; link together through global networks, alliances, and consortia; and nurture a culture of critical inquiry”
The feedback from stake holders, graduating students, faculty focus group discussions and feedback from current students will give a solid reason for the institutional curriculum revision. The current curriculum may have implementation difficulties and may also lead to proposed changes. The curriculum revision will take up a better shape when it is done in phases. This allows more time to plan and organize the review process.
Principles Guiding Curriculum Development
Principles which guide to general teacher education curriculum development according to Hansen 1995 can still be used in the nursing curriculum development. Principles:
1: The Essence of Curriculum Design the Need for a Conceptual Framework Principle
2: Conceptualizing Attitudes and Beliefs about Learning Principle
3: An Epistemological Rationale Principle
4: The Curriculum Development Planning Process Principle
5: The Political Realities of Curriculum Development
These five principles can be taken as collective and as specific entities, which provide a backdrop against which curriculum planning, in educational settings and in schools, can be made and against which the nature of technology and technological education can be showcased Orientation of the participants by the head of the institution or the committee chair person is the first step in the review process.
The following should be oriented to the curricular committee members: Current curriculum plan: The faculty and the curriculum committee members need to have a thorough understanding of the current study plan and its pros and cons. Identification of gaps or implementation problems in the current study plan is required. During the curriculum revision process the vision, mission and objectives of the institution has to be reviewed.
Detailed information about the following is important for the curriculum development members: curriculum review plan and procedures international nursing education standards national nursing council standards national higher education standards health statistics of the country health infrastructure of the country health vision of the country information about local and regional nursing institutions curriculum revision template.
Give your opinion if have any.