Curriculum and Program Design

            During this week’s discussion, I will examine how and why nurse educators create individual learning objectives and end-of-program outcomes.  I will first post a list of meaningful, measurable learning objectives that I have constructed and a thorough description of my learning activity.  Then I will explain how this activity aligns to the learning objectives and justify how each of those objectives can be used to measure student, staff, or patient learning.

Scenario Selection

            Scenario number three involves nursing students.  As a registered nurse I know how important it is for the students to develop effective leadership skills, and that becoming a leader in the nursing progression involves the ability to effectively manage colleagues who initiate conflict in the workplace.  I have realized that I need to engage students in a learning activity with learning objectives that will increase their acumen in managing conflict situations in the workplace.  Learning objectives identify the learning that is being achieves as well as setting clear expectations for the learners (Laureate Education, 2012a). 

Learning Objectives

            When coming up with learning objectives, the educator should keep in mind that limiting the number of objectives helps guide the instructor in organizing the training (Nemec & Bussema, 2010).  These should have outcomes that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time bound (McKimm & Swanwick, 2009).  The first learning objective is for students to identify potential problems that might occur in the workplace with confrontational colleagues.  The next objective is to explain how to appropriately manage the conflict in a non-confrontational approach.  The final learning objective is for each student to be comfortable approaching colleagues if this situation erupts.

Learning Activity

            As a future-nursing instructor, I feel that the best activity for this situation is to act out potential conflicts.  I would take a group of nursing students and each one would have an opportunity to be the nurse leader.  I would come up with situations prior to meeting with the students, write them on a piece of paper that I would fold up and one at a time each student will pick a scenario hand it to another student who will act it, and the original student will identify the conflict and respond to the situation.  I think the element of surprise is important because in a real life situation a leader will not have time to think of how to respond to conflict situations. 

            This team-based learning, allows their peers to learn from each other’s mistakes (Billings & Halstead, 2016).  This activity aligns with the learning objectives by making students feel comfortable identifying and responding to conflicts, how to manage confrontation, and feeling comfortable approaching colleagues.  At the end of the activity, the students will have a debriefing explaining what they could have done differently in the future, as well as giving advise to other students in their scenarios. 

References

Billings, D. M., & Halstead, J. A. (2016). Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty (5th

            ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

Laureate Educations, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012a). Crafting learning

            objectives. Baltimore, MD: Author.

McKimm, J., & Swanwick, T. (2009). Setting learning objectives. British Journal of

            Hospital Medicine, 70(7), 406–409.