Mid-South Instructional Technology Conference
Teaching, Learning, & Technology
Transforming the Learning Environment
April 4-6, 2004
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Elaine A. Gardner, Ph.D., RN Track 2 - Promoting Transformation in the Learning Environment |
Abstract
The purpose of the model is to explore critical thinking concepts using case studies in an online format. WebCT will be used for mail, discussion, and also provide a link to nursing case studies. The link presents a coach and expert and nursing cases that will give student's guidance
and feedback. The plan is to evaluate critical thinking skills using case studies before and after the presentation and discussion of the critical thinking framework.
Description
The purpose of the study is to teach nurses a critical thinking framework through a web based course linking case studies in a ThinkAboutIt tool-format. The number of subjects will be 20-30 during spring semester, 2004. The nurse-volunteers will be asked to sign up for the critical
thinking course. The course would consist of a critical thinking framework with discussion that entails a critical thinking framework that includes clinical reasoning, problem solving, and reflection. After the students learn the critical thinking framework they will link to case studies.
There are two phases in the ThinkAbout It tool case study link, first students make a choice after looking at several options following each case study then write a rationale. The second phase is when students receive feedback about their choice and have peer interaction. The evaluation of
the project will be mixed-method and consist of both qualitative and quantitative procedures. The qualitative method will analyze the course discussions of the experimental group (those taking the course).
Also, case study solutions or rationales will be analyzed for both the control and experimental groups. The quantitative method will use a scoring rubric applied to one case study that notes by grade how well the subject completed the case study. Also, a critical thinking concept count will be used to determine the number of concepts that the subject used while solving the case studies. This analysis will be done on both control and experimental groups. It is anticipated in the qualitative analysis, that the themes will be different comparing rationales from the control and experimental groups and the discussion themes from the experimental group will be more closely aligned with the experimental group rationales. It is expected in the quantitative analysis subjects who have studied a critical thinking framework will use critical thinking skills to solve case studies and thinking will be different as noted by scoring rubric and concept count compared to the control group.