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D.Cur. / The overall aim of the study is to describe a model to facilitate reflective thinking of learners in clinical nursing education. This aim is realised through exploration and description of the meaning of reflective thinking in phase one of the study using Wilson (1963). Theoretical validity was ensured. The results of phase one provided a conceptual framework to direct data collection in phase two by exploring and describing the perceptions of nurse educators with regard to how reflective thinking of learners can be facilitated in clinical nursing education. An etic approach to qualitative data analysis as described by Morse (1994) was used, with matrices (Miles & Huberman, 1994) to provide meaningful categories, subcategories and themes. Both the results of phase one and two provided the main concepts, which were classified and defined within Dickoff, James and Wiedenbach (1968:435)'s six components of the survey list. Conceptualisation of the six components constitutes phase three of the study. Lastly phase four deals with the description and evaluation of the model with guidelines to operationalise the model. Nurse educators, who are facilitators, are challenged with the responsibility to establish quality clinical nursing education in line with the international norms, ethics, legal and professional standards. They are challenged with the creation of the environment conducive to facilitate reflective thinking through interaction. The facilitative interactive methods of teaching and assessment based on the constructivistic approach to learning demands dialogue, discourse and narratives, and therefore problem-based learning, outcomes-based education and community-based education using the PHC principles forms an integral aspect in creating the environment conducive to the facilitation of reflective thinking in clinical nursing education. These teaching and learning approaches needs active involvement of the learner in constructing his/her own clinical knowledge, skills, attitudes and values through collaborative, co-operative shared activities in partnership with all other stakeholders responsible to provide clinical learning opportunities for learners to integrate theory to practice. The affective component of both the facilitator and the learner actually drives the process of reflective thinking in a specific cultural context. The traditional methods of teaching and evaluation hinder the facilitation of reflective thinking. Models and conceptual frameworks that address reflective thinking in nursing does not address how reflective thinking can be facilitated, hence the research question is "how can reflective thinking of learners be facilitated in clinical nursing education"? The explorative, descriptive, qualitative, theory generative and contextual design is used to describe a model to facilitate reflective thinking of learners in clinical nursing education, with guidelines to operationalise the model. Paradigmatic perspective with regard to man (facilitator and the learner), environment (clinical nursing education), reflective thinking (purpose) and the interactive facilitation as the dynamic of the study are described within Theory for Health Promotion in Nursing (1991). The constructivistic perspective provides the theoretical framework. The qualitative approach that is exploratory and descriptive for theory generation provides the methodological assumption. The results of concept analysis and the results of the perceptions of nurse educators with regard to how reflective thinking of learners can be facilitated in clinical nursing education provide conceptual meaning and identification. The identified major and minor concepts are classified and defined using Dickoff, James and Wiedenbach (1968:435)'s six components of the survey list. Through synthesis, at the end of each conceptualisation, concluding relational statements are described from which the model is inferred. The model is described using Chinn and Kramer (1991:107-125)'s method of theory generation and evaluation. Experts in qualitative research and model development do refinement of the model. The facilitator is responsible to create the environment that is stimulating and conducive for learning. The learner on the other hand is responsible for selfdirected, self-regulatory learning where active participation in the construction of own learning through interaction is the hallmark, in order to facilitate reflective thinking in clinical nursing education. Interactive facilitation is the dynamic through which reflective thinking has to be facilitated. Clinical nursing education provides the context. The procedure to facilitate reflective thinking of learners in clinical nursing education is through the three phases of reflective thinking guided by the adapted educational process in the format of the nursing process. Once the purpose of the model is achieved (reflective thinking), the learners will be expected to improve practice through rational decision making and solving of problems. They will be expected to practice independently and autonomously, and to view clinical situations holistically with changed perspective based on the existing conception. Learners will have acquired skills for lifelong learning. The described guidelines will assist nurse educators with the operationalization of the model in order to provide quality assurance in clinical nursing education, with subsequent provision of quality nursing care and the improvement of the credibility of the profession.

Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Many students that embark on higher education do not have study and thinking skills that are sufficiently well developed in order for them to become autonomous, selfdirected learners. This is partly due to the fact that the historically authoritarian and rigid approaches to teaching in some schools have discouraged independent thought. Other contributory factors such as negative beliefs, attitudes and dispositions, and distorted concepts of the self and of learning, also prevent effective learning from taking place. The focus of this research is a study and thinking skills programme. This programme is part of a four week bridging course for freshmen at the University of Stellenbosch. It is based on a comprehensive rationale derived from cognitive education theory, comprising a number of well known theorists such as Piaget, Vygotsky, Feuerstein and Lozanov. This is further supplemented by instruments from authors in the field of thinking skills (de Bono, Buzan). The purpose of this research was to identify elements of the programme which might be responsible for aspects of transformative learning, as defined by Mezirow in his Transformative Learning Theory. These aspects initially became apparent from students' responses in post-programme evaluations. The responses represented an unexpected outcome, as Mezirow's theory was not represented in the programme's rationale. Eight criteria were developed from Mezirow's theory, operationalised as questions, and then utilized to assess transformative learning in the context of the programme. In a conceptual analysis, four categories of the programme (the rationale, the objectives, the course material and implementation procedures) were compared and contrasted with criteria from Transformative Learning Theory. From this analysis it was apparent that several criteria of Transformative Learning Theory were present in the programme: it facilitated learning in both instrumental and communicative domains; it provided opportunities to explore meaning structures and to investigate distorted meaning perspectives; and it instigated disorientating or conflicting experiences with regard to these. Some criteria were absent from the programme in that it failed to promote rational discourse according Mezirow's definition, it did not adequately promote reflection on premises, and it did not intentionally address the transformation of meaning perspectives. These three omissions may be traced to the lack of an "adult learning" focus in the programme's theoretical structure. Despite this, a number of parallels were identified which may explain the representation of Mezirow's criteria in the programme, and hence the students' responses. Conclusions are drawn regarding a theoretically justified view of transformative learning in the context of the Study and Thinking Skills (S&TS) programme, and practical implications for educators are explained. Finally, recommendations are made for enhancing trans formative learning within the Study and Thinking Skills (S&TS) programme, and for the design of similar programmes. Recommendations are also proposed for further research in this area which, in the contemporary South African educational context, clearly deserves more attention in adult education and related settings. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Talle studente wat tot hoer onderwys toetree se studie en denkvaardighede is me voldoende ontwikkeld om as outonome, selfgerigte leerders sukses te kan behaal nie. Dit is deels toe te skryf aan die outoritere en rigiede benaderings tot onderwys in sommige skole, wat selfstandige denke ontmoedig. Daar is egter ook ander belemmerende faktore soos studente se negatiewe houdings en verkeerde opvattings van leer en van hulself wat verhinder dat effektiewe leer plaasvind. Die fokus van hierdie navorsing is 'n Studie- en Denkvaardigheidprogram (S&TS). Hierdie program vorm deel van 'n vier week lange oorbruggingsprogram vir eerstejaarstudente aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. Die program is gebaseer op 'n omvattende rasionaal vanuit die kognitiewe opvoedkunde perspektief wat die werk van 'n aantal bekende teoretici (Piaget, Vygotsky, Feuerstein en Lozanov) insluit en word aangevul met oefeninge deur outeurs in die veld van denkvaardighede (De Bono en Buzan). Die doel van die navorsmg was om elemente van die program te identifiseer wat verantwoordelik kon wees vir aanduidings van transformatiewe leer, soos gedefinieer deur Mezirow in sy Transformatiewe Leerteorie. Hierdie aanduidings spruit uit studente se response tydens evalueringsessies na afloop van die program. Transformatiewe leeruitkomste was onverwags, omdat Mezirow se teorie nie verteenwoordig was in die rasionaal waarvolgens die program ontwerp is nie. Agt kriteria wat uit Mezirow se teorie ontwikkel kon word, is geoperasionaliseer en in vraagvorm gebruik om die inhoud van die program te analiseer. Die kriteria is as verteenwoordigend van transformatiewe leer in die konteks van 'n studie en denkvaardigheidsprogram beskou. In die analise van die inhoud is vier kategoriee van die program (die rasionaal, die doelstellings, die kursusmateriaal en die implementerings-prosedures) vergelyk en gekontrasteer met die kriteria vanuit die Transformatiewe Leerteorie. Uit hierdie analise het geblyk dat die program aan sekere kriteria voldoen, naamlik dat dit leer in be ide die kommunikatiewe en intrumentele domeine fasiliteer; geleenthede skep om betekenisstrukture te verken en versteurde betekenisperspektiewe te ondersoek; en dat dit disorienterende of konflikterende ervarings veroorsaak met betrekking tot bestaande betekenisstrukture en -perspektiewe. Sommige kriteria was glad nie verteenwoordig in die program nie. Die program het nie daarin geslaag om rasionele diskoers, volgens Mezirow se definisie daarvan, te ontlok nie.; dit het nie voldoende reflektering met betrekking tot onderliggende aannames aangemoedig nie en dit het nie doelbewus die transformasie van betekenisprespektiewe bevorder nie. Hierdie drie weglatings uit die program mag verband hou met die feit dat die teoretiese onderbou van die program nie op volwassene leer fokus nie. Ten spyte hiervan is daar egter steeds 'n aantal ooreenkomste tussen die kognitiewe ontwikkelingsteoriee en Mezirow se transformatiewe leerteorie geidentifiseer wat die verteenwoordiging van Mezirow se teorie in die program en dus die studente se response moontlik kan verklaar. Gevolgtrekkings met betrekking tot 'n teoreties geregverdigde beskouing van transformatiewe leer in die konteks van die Studie- en Denkvaardigheidprogram en die praktiese implikasies hiervan vir opvoeders, word beskryf. Ten slotte word aanbevelings gemaak om transformatiewe leer in die program te bevorder en vir die ontwerp van soortgelyke progamme.

Thesis (MEdPsych) -- Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was undertaken with the view to explore the ecosystemic variables that may impact on learners' acquisition and generalisation of the study and thinking skills that they have been introduced to. In addition, my own journey of growth as a reflective practitioner has been recorded. A literature review was undertaken in order to obtain a perspective of research conducted in this field. I fulfilled the dual role of researcher and reflective practitioner which enabled me to use both the 'objective knowledge' gained from the literature review and my 'personal knowledge' which resulted from teaching experience. I selected the ecosystemic framework as the preferred educational psychological framework with which to approach this study. The nature of this research study is post-modernist, phenomenological and emancipatory. I have taken a qualitative stance in an attempt to explore, firstly, the learners' impressions of the usefulness of the programme and secondly, the variables that may be impacting on the learners' ability to acquire and generalise new strategies. The information has been gathered from my observations and questionnaires. The research report describes my observations of the ecosystemic variables that affected the implementation of a study and thinking skills programme, and the learners' impressions of the programme. In addition, I reflected on my journey through this research process. Suggestions were made as to how a study and thinking skills programme could best be implemented in a school; and as to the usefulness of emancipatory action research in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingsprojek is onderneem met die oog daarop om die ekosistemiese veranderlikes te ondersoek wat 'n invloed het op die opname en veralgemening van studie-en denkvaardighede waaraan leerders blootgestel is. Tesame hiermee is my persoonlike groeiervaringe as reflektiewe praktisyn ook aangeteken. 'n Literatuuroorsig is onderneem ten einde 'n perspektief te verkry van navorsing wat reeds in hierdie gebied onderneem is. In hierdie proses het ek die gesamentlike rol van navorser en reflektiewe praktisyn aangeneem. Dit het my in staat gestelom die 'objektiewe kennis' verkry uit die literatuuroorsig met die 'persoonlike kennis' opgedoen tydens my onderwyservaringe, te kombineer. Ek het die ekosistemiese raamwerk as 'n geskikte opvoedkundige sielkundige vertekpunt vir hierdie studie gekies. Die aard van hierdie navorsingsprojek IS postmodernisties, fenomenologies en emansipatories. Ten einde die leerders se indrukke van die program en die verandelikes wat hulle vermoë om die nuwe vaardighede op te neem en te veralgemeen te bepaal, is 'n kwalitatiewe benadering gevolg. Hierdie inligting is ingesamel deur middel van my eie observasies sowel as vraelyste. Hierdie navorsingsverslag beskryf my observasies van die ekosistemiese veranderlikes wat die implementering van 'n studie- en denkvaardigheidsprogram, sowel as die leerders indrukke daarvan, geaffekteer het. In toevoeging hiernee, het ek ook oor my persoonlike ervaringe gedurende die navorsingsprojek gereflekteer. Voorstelle is gemaak oor die mees geskikte wyse waarop so 'n program in 'n skool geïmplementeer kan word, asook ten opsigte van die bruikbaarheid van die emansipatoriese aksienavorsings-benadering in Suid Afrika.

published_or_final_version / English Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / abstract / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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