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Back to Table of Contents for On Course Across the Curriculum
1.
Strategy: Wise Choice Process Educator: No Name Provided Implementation: Teach students the Wise Choice Process and have them practice it with a partner. Then discuss with the whole class to what degree the process worked to solve their problems. Next introduce them to the steps of the Nursing Process (ADPIE): Assess, Diagnose, Plan, Implement and Evaluate. In pairs, have students compare the two processes for purpose and method. Then, in a whole class discussion, elicit the similarities of and differences between the two processes. Importantly, help students identify the purpose of these critical thinking processes: To identify a problem, design a plan for solving the problem, and evaluate the results. 2.
Strategy: Professor Rogers’ Trial (Case Study) Educator:
Nancy Cannon, Nursing Study Skills Tutor, Cecil Implementation: The purpose of this activity is to encourage nursing students to create and work well in study groups. In preparation for starting study groups, have students read “Professor Rogers’ Trial” and make a list of the behaviors of each character (Anthony, Sylvia, and Donald) that sabotaged the group’s success. Ask students to make a list of positive ways they could respond to each character if that student were in their study group, thus making their study group more successful. Finally, have them make a list of the behaviors of their ideal study group member. Remind them of Gandhi’s famous quotation: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Encourage them to each be the ideal study group member. 3.
Strategy: Wise Choice Process Application:
Nursing & Advising Educator:
Carol S. Beneker, Academic Coordinator-Nursing, Columbus State Community College,
OH
Implementation:
As the Academic Coordinator, my role consists of tutor, advisor, counselor,
etc. for our "at-risk" population, nursing students who are failing
one or both of required, concurrent courses. If they drop one course, they
must drop the other. If they fail one course and pass the other, they do not
have to repeat the course passed; however, they are then taken out of the
sequence of classes for the nursing program until the failed course is offered
again, usually every other quarter. This creates a lot of discord amongst the
students. Often they are passing one course and failing the other and have to
make a decision about which path to take before the final cut off date. They are
in a dilemma because they are getting an A in one course but an F in the other
and they don't want to drop both courses only to repeat them again. I sit down
with them, and we go through the Wise Choice Process. I keep a legal pad just
for this situation, and I have the student write down ALL the options because
having them do it themselves helps reality sink in for them. After we go through
the choices in my office, I have them take the list home for a few days and add
whatever they want to it. Then we discuss it again. Surprisingly, they usually
make the decision to drop and go out of sequence because they don't want a D or
F on their record. Failing two classes drops you out of the program entirely at
any time. So far, all the students, except for one, have understood the concept
of making a wise choice. When the student does choose to drop, I try to discuss
with them why they think they were unsuccessful to begin with.
4. Strategy: Changing Habits Application: Nursing or Any Course that gives tests Educator: No Name Provided Implementation: The purpose of this activity is to help students discover and experience strategies to reduce test anxiety in a high risk environment such as nursing. Give students the “Changing Habits” handout and ask them to fill it out BEFORE the test is given using the following modified sentence stems: “One habit I have that helps my success on tests… One habit I have that hinders my success on tests… One new habit I would benefit from having when taking tests is…” Hold a class discussions for students to exchange what they wrote about habits. Additionally, because writing has been shown to reduce anxiety, devote a few minutes before the test to have students write about their feelings about the test. After the test, have students discuss new habits they applied to preparing for the test, how they think they did on the test compared with how they initially expected to do on the test, and what habits they will employ before, during, and after the next test.
5.
Strategy: Affirmations Application: Nursing Students. To support and encourage students as they make the transition from students to professionals. Educator: Implementation:
Affirmations: For students in their last semester in the Nursing Program, have
each one create an affirmation that will make them a successful, effective
nurse. Have students mail their affirmations to the instructor. At the pinning
ceremony one of the nursing instructors reads each student’s affirmation as
they are pinned. Together the class responds, “Yes you are.”
6.
Strategy: Silent Socratic Dialogue Application:
Nursing Educator:
Kathleen Lee, Nursing Faculty, Mid-State Technical College, WI Implementation:
Give each member of the class a different clinical problem. As the first
step of the SSD, students write a review of the information they know from their
assigned problem, as well as additional information they need to obtain.
Students exchange papers, and the partner asks questions that prompt the other
person to provide missing information. Upon receiving their own paper back,
students add missing information if they can. Then the partners ask three
specific questions in turn: "What problem have you identified? What
can be done about the problem? What would you do first and why?" Each
time, the students respond to one question and then return to their partners for
feedback and follow-up questions.
7.
Strategy: The Puzzle Application:
Clinical Nursing Course or Any Course Where Students Work in Groups Educator:
Lori Eithun, Faculty Nursing, Implementation: The puzzle activity can be utilized as an initial activity for groups of students who will be together throughout an 8-week clinical course. Divide the group into two groups, and have each group work to complete a small puzzle. After the activity, have students reflect on what they learned about themselves and about each other in terms of the benefits and challenges that come with working together. In addition, the instructors will have the opportunity to observe the activity and make initial assessments of group member personalities and work styles as the clinical period begins.
8. Strategy: Dreams as Motivators
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