The evaluation of reflective learning from the nursing student's point of view: a mixed method approach

Background Adapting university programmes to European Higher Education Area criteria has required substantial changes in curricula and teaching methodologies. Reflective learning (RL) has attracted growing interest and occupies an important place in the scientific literature on theoretical and metho...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Fernández Peña, Roser, Fuentes Pumarola, Concepció, Malagón Aguilera, M. Carmen, Bonmatí Tomàs, Anna, Bosch Farré, Cristina, Ballester Ferrando, David
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2016
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:10256/24263
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10256/24263
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Infermeria -- Ensenyament universitari
Nursery -- Study and teaching (Higher)
Estudiants d'infermeria
Nursing students
Ensenyament reflexiu
Reflective teaching
Descripción
Sumario:Background Adapting university programmes to European Higher Education Area criteria has required substantial changes in curricula and teaching methodologies. Reflective learning (RL) has attracted growing interest and occupies an important place in the scientific literature on theoretical and methodological aspects of university instruction. However, fewer studies have focused on evaluating the RL methodology from the point of view of nursing students. Objectives To assess nursing students' perceptions of the usefulness and challenges of RL methodology. Design Mixed method design, using a cross-sectional questionnaire and focus group discussion. Methods The research was conducted via self-reported reflective learning questionnaire complemented by focus group discussion. Results Students provided a positive overall evaluation of RL, highlighting the method's capacity to help them better understand themselves, engage in self-reflection about the learning process, optimize their strengths and discover additional training needs, along with searching for continuous improvement. Nonetheless, RL does not help them as much to plan their learning or identify areas of weakness or needed improvement in knowledge, skills and attitudes. Among the difficulties or challenges, students reported low motivation and lack of familiarity with this type of learning, along with concerns about the privacy of their reflective journals and about the grading criteria. Conclusions In general, students evaluated RL positively. The results suggest areas of needed improvement related to unfamiliarity with the methodology, ethical aspects of developing a reflective journal and the need for clear evaluation criteria