CAREERS STUDENT LIFE BScN students at Mohawk McMaster University who participated in the research, from left, Mercedes Hansen, Maria Pavkovik and Elizabeth Vo
Ask us what we think Cynthia Hammond and Rosemary Ackerman-Rainville asked students for feedback on their role as teachers Students are in the best position to recognise the qualities of effective nurse educators. With this in mind, we asked students on the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) course what makes a good teacher in the clinical practice setting. We created seven focus groups and an online survey, which were completed by students enrolled in all four years of our BScN programme. Data were analysed using content analysis to identify the qualities of effective teachers (see box). This in turn enabled us to reflect on and adjust our own teaching practices. The feedback had a huge effect on us. In many instances we identified with students’ comments
Qualities of effective teachers Knowledgeable and experienced. Perceptive and responsive to student needs. Professional and accountable. Preparing students for eventual practice. Motivated and enthusiastic.
and were surprised at how candid they were. In some ways, our own teaching styles were validated and we were reassured that we were effective in our roles. Other comments left us feeling disheartened and discouraged. We came to realise that some student-teacher interactions that we had thought were positive were actually seen negatively by students. Teacher knowledge, competence and experience are paramount in student learning experiences. These qualities were ranked in the top three across all four years of the programme. To be effective, teachers must demonstrate clinical competence and the ability to share this knowledge and expertise. As a result of our research, we now share more stories and experiences with students. We appreciate they learn extensively from our everyday actions and role modelling, more so than anything learned in a textbook. We are now ever mindful of this.
Caring qualities were identified consistently by students as essential teacher characteristics. Students wanted their teachers to be perceptive and responsive to them as individuals, not solely as scholars. We learned from them that caring, nurturing teacher behaviours were the most important attribute for first-year BScN students. In contrast, the third and fourth-year students wanted a willingness to challenge them in their abilities, knowledge, critical thinking and practical proficiency. Energy and motivation were frequently identified as important attributes in effective teachers. By listening to students, we realised that they feed off the lecturers’ enthusiasm. Through this research we have come to think of student engagement as an outcome of effective teaching. When teachers are engaged and motivated, the outcome is more likely to be engaged, motivated students. As baccalaureate nurse educators, our study findings have prompted us to reflect on our teaching strategies. By sharing our students’ messages, we hope ultimately to enhance student learning, experience and satisfaction as well as faculty development and teaching initiatives NS Cynthia Hammond and Rosemary Ackerman-Rainville are professors in the Collaborative Mohawk-McMaster BScN Program, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada RESOURCES The Student Room www.thestudentroom.co.uk Student life online tinyurl.com/ppxmwmo
66 april 8 :: vol 29 32 :: 2015 STANDARD Downloaded fromnoRCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Dec 08, 2015. For personal use only. NoNURSING other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
Ask us what we think Cynthia Hammond and Rosemary Ackerman-Rainville asked students for feedback on their role as teachers Students are in the best position to recognise the qualities of effective nurse educators. With this in mind, we asked students on the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) course what makes a good teacher in the clinical practice setting. We created seven focus groups and an online survey, which were completed by students enrolled in all four years of our BScN programme. Data were analysed using content analysis to identify the qualities of effective teachers (see box). This in turn enabled us to reflect on and adjust our own teaching practices. The feedback had a huge effect on us. In many instances we identified with students’ comments
Qualities of effective teachers Knowledgeable and experienced. Perceptive and responsive to student needs. Professional and accountable. Preparing students for eventual practice. Motivated and enthusiastic.
and were surprised at how candid they were. In some ways, our own teaching styles were validated and we were reassured that we were effective in our roles. Other comments left us feeling disheartened and discouraged. We came to realise that some student-teacher interactions that we had thought were positive were actually seen negatively by students. Teacher knowledge, competence and experience are paramount in student learning experiences. These qualities were ranked in the top three across all four years of the programme. To be effective, teachers must demonstrate clinical competence and the ability to share this knowledge and expertise. As a result of our research, we now share more stories and experiences with students. We appreciate they learn extensively from our everyday actions and role modelling, more so than anything learned in a textbook. We are now ever mindful of this.
Caring qualities were identified consistently by students as essential teacher characteristics. Students wanted their teachers to be perceptive and responsive to them as individuals, not solely as scholars. We learned from them that caring, nurturing teacher behaviours were the most important attribute for first-year BScN students. In contrast, the third and fourth-year students wanted a willingness to challenge them in their abilities, knowledge, critical thinking and practical proficiency. Energy and motivation were frequently identified as important attributes in effective teachers. By listening to students, we realised that they feed off the lecturers’ enthusiasm. Through this research we have come to think of student engagement as an outcome of effective teaching. When teachers are engaged and motivated, the outcome is more likely to be engaged, motivated students. As baccalaureate nurse educators, our study findings have prompted us to reflect on our teaching strategies. By sharing our students’ messages, we hope ultimately to enhance student learning, experience and satisfaction as well as faculty development and teaching initiatives NS Cynthia Hammond and Rosemary Ackerman-Rainville are professors in the Collaborative Mohawk-McMaster BScN Program, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada RESOURCES The Student Room www.thestudentroom.co.uk Student life online tinyurl.com/ppxmwmo
66 april 8 :: vol 29 32 :: 2015 STANDARD Downloaded fromnoRCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Dec 08, 2015. For personal use only. NoNURSING other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
