[Academic activity report as a strategy for learning research]

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Curriculum Development
• Higher Education

Context:

• Comparative analysis of two nursing curriculum proposals at a Brazilian university.
• Study involved 83 graduate students, divided into Transition Curriculum (n=39) and Integrated Curriculum (n=44) groups.
• Data sourced from academic activity reports from December 2002 (Group I) and December 2003 (Group II).

Purpose:

• To analyze and compare the structure and mental abilities developed in graduate nursing students under two distinct curriculum models.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of different curriculum designs on academic reporting and cognitive skill development.
• To identify which curriculum approach better supports complex reasoning and structured academic output.

Summary:

• The Integrated Curriculum group (Group II) produced academic activity reports with superior structure compared to the Transition Curriculum group (Group I).
• Graduate students in the Integrated Curriculum demonstrated more complex reasoning abilities, particularly within the 'development' topic analysis.
• The findings suggest that the Integrated Curriculum is a more effective teaching strategy for developing advanced cognitive skills in nursing students.

Impact:

• Highlights the impact of curriculum design on the development of critical thinking and analytical skills in nursing education.
• Provides evidence for curriculum reform in higher education, emphasizing the benefits of integrated approaches for graduate studies.
• Informs educators and policymakers on effective pedagogical strategies to enhance graduate student learning outcomes and academic performance.