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Using Learning Outcome Measures to assess Doctoral Nursing Education
Published on: June 21, 2010
Student-Valued Measurable Teaching Behaviors of Award-Winning Pharmacy Preceptors
Teresa A O'Sullivan1, Carmen Lau2, Mitul Patel3
1University of Washington School of Pharmacy, Seattle, Washington.
Objective:
To identify specific preceptor teaching-coaching, role modeling, and facilitating behaviors valued by pharmacy students and to develop measures of those behaviors that can be used for an experiential education quality assurance program.
Methods:
Using a qualitative research approach, we conducted a thematic analysis of student comments about excellent preceptors to identify behaviors exhibited by those preceptors. Identified behaviors were sorted according to the preceptor's role as role model, teacher/coach, or learning facilitator; measurable descriptors for each behavior were then developed.
Results:
Data analysis resulted in identification of 15 measurable behavior themes, the most frequent being: having an interest in student learning and success, making time for students, and displaying a positive preceptor attitude. Measureable descriptors were developed for 5 role-modeling behaviors, 6 teaching-coaching behaviors, and 4 facilitating behaviors.
Conclusion:
Preceptors may need to be evaluated in their separate roles as teacher-coach, role model, and learning facilitator. The developed measures in this report could be used in site quality evaluation.
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