Legitimation Code Theory's role in shaping nursing education: An integrative review

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences Education
• Professional Education
• Nursing Education

Background:

• Increasing diversity in nursing education necessitates adaptive learning approaches.
• Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) provides a framework to address diverse student needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the application of Legitimation Code Theory in biological and health sciences professional education.
• To identify how LCT has influenced curriculum and pedagogy design.

Main Methods:

• An integrative review following PRISMA guidelines and Whittemore and Knafl's process.
• A systematic search of eight databases (inception to November 2023) using keywords 'Legitimation Code Theory' and 'professional education'.
• Independent review and appraisal of studies using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, followed by narrative synthesis.

Main Results:

• Eleven studies utilized Legitimation Code Theory in biological and health science education.
• Identified themes include LCT as a data analysis framework, enhancing learning outcomes, informing pedagogy design, and contextualizing disciplinary knowledge.
• LCT's application spans nursing education and other health science disciplines.

Conclusions:

• Legitimation Code Theory significantly influences professional education, especially in biological and health sciences.
• LCT is versatile, aiding pedagogy design, learning transfer, and critical thinking development.
• The theory demonstrates robustness as a tool for professional education contexts.