An exercise in curriculum development--the process of putting theory into practice

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Curriculum Development
• Adult Learning Theory

Background:

• Post-registration nursing courses attract diverse learners with varied experiences.
• Adult learners often have specific objectives and benefit from student-centered approaches.
• Professional development in nursing requires continuous knowledge and skill enhancement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and redesign a post-registration community psychiatric nursing course.
• To incorporate principles of adult learning and student-centered education.
• To address student assessment, curriculum integration, and negotiation in course design.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a curriculum development model as a framework.
• Reviewed existing course structure and content.
• Focused on student assessment and integration of learning experiences.

Main Results:

• The redesign incorporated a student-centered approach.
• Emphasis was placed on negotiation between students and teachers.
• The review highlighted the importance of assessment in curriculum integration.

Conclusions:

• Redesigning nursing education requires understanding adult learners' needs.
• Student-centered approaches and negotiation enhance learning outcomes.
• Effective curriculum design integrates assessment and diverse learning experiences for community psychiatric nurses.