A facilitative approach to learning about curriculum development.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Graduate students possess high ambitions and a drive for excellence.
• Educators face challenges in creating learning opportunities that align with these student aspirations.
• Effective curriculum development is crucial for preparing future nurse educators.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe two teaching approaches for graduate nursing curriculum development.
• To evaluate the impact of these approaches on student learning and professional growth.
• To prepare future nurse educators for their curriculum development roles.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of group process and an adapted Bensusan escalator model in a graduate nursing course.
• Students worked collaboratively as a faculty group to develop hypothetical curricula.
• Course faculty provided critiques on successive iterations of student work.

Main Results:

• Students reported enhanced self-direction, self-esteem, and mutual respect.
• The learning environment was perceived as safe, caring, and supportive.
• Authentic curriculum development occurred within this pedagogical framework.

Conclusions:

• The described teaching approaches offer a pragmatic and productive method for graduate nursing education.
• These methods effectively support students in developing curriculum development skills.
• The approach fosters key professional attributes essential for nurse educators.