Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The lack of theory-practice integration has a long-standing history in nursing education due to
many factors and causes. It is continuously indicated in research studies that there is no easy or
perfect solution. The causes for this theory-practice gap seem to be in the theoretical and/or
clinical environment. In literature teaching methods are identified as one of the most important
causes of the theory-practice gap.
In view of the informal feedback received from nurse educators and nursing managers it was
necessary to investigate the lack of theory-practice integration. The aim of the study was thus to
explore in which respects current teaching methods utilised by nurse educators at a higher
education institution comply or do not comply with teaching methods suggested in literature as
essential for theory-practice integration.
An exploratory descriptive research design was used to investigate the nature of the teaching
methods utilised by nurse educators facilitating theoretical learning. Questionnaires were sent to
nurse educators and student nurses registered for the Diploma in General Nursing Science
programme. The questionnaire that mainly consisted of closed questions was used to collect and
analyse the data. The data were generated at four learning sites of a higher education institution.
The validity of the results was verified by an observer in the field for which a structured checklist was used. Results indicated that a wide spectrum of teaching methods were utilised by the nurse educators
and that the student nurses had limited internet access at the learning centres. Eight (8) teaching
methods, complying with teaching methods identified by literature as essential to enhance theorypractice
integration, were used. However, it was evident that formal lectures were overused. It
raises concerns as this method does not comply with teaching methods essential to enhance
theory-practice integration. In fact, it limits the students’ ability to develop critical thinking and is
seen as one of the possible causes of the theory-practice gap. Feedback relating to the teaching
aids used showed that the data projector with PowerPoint slides, whiteboard and textbooks were
the three teaching aids used most frequently. According to literature, the overuse of textbooks is
generally viewed as the starting point of the theory-practice gap. The results of this study imply that an increased awareness and training of nurse educators
regarding their teaching methods may increase their teaching and facilitation skills. It seems to be
the nurse educator’s responsibility to ensure that teaching methods are used that are essential to
enhance theory-practice integration and it is the responsibility of management at any higher
educational institution to ensure that the necessary educational and information technology
resources are available. It is recommended that further studies be conducted to determine whether
nurse educators do indeed apply the teaching methods effectively to narrow the theory-practice
gap. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gebrek aan teorie-praktyk integrasie in verpleegkunde het ‘n lang gekiedenis in
verpleegonderwys as gevolg van verskeie faktore en oorsake. Navorsing toon deurgaans dat daar
nie ‘n maklike of perfekte oplossing vir hierdie probleem is nie. Die oorsake vir die teorie-praktyk
gaping kan teoretiese en/of klinies van aard wees. Onderrigmetodes word deur navorsing as een
van die belangrikste oorsake vir die teorie-praktyk gaping aangedui.
Die informele terugvoer van dosente en verpleegdiensbestuurders het getoon dat teorie- en
praktyk integrasie nie voldoende is nie. Dit was dus noodsaaklik om die onderrigmetodes van
dosente in verpleegkunde te ondersoek. Die doel van die studie was om te bepaal tot watter mate
die huidige onderrigmetodes van die dosente wat verbonde is aan ‘n hoër onderrig instelling
voldoen of nie voldoen nie aan onderrigmetodes wat in literatuur aangedui word as essensieël vir
die bevordering van teorie-praktyk integrasie.
In hierdie studie is beskrywende en ondersoekende navorsingsmetodes gebruik om die
onderrigmetodes van die dosente in verpleegkunde te ondersoek. Vraelyste is uitgestuur na
dosente en student-verpleegkundiges wat besig is met die Diploma in Algemene Verpleegkunde.
Die vraelys, wat hoofsaaklik geslote vrae bevat het, is gebruik om die nodige data te versamel en
te analiseer. Die data is by vier van die hoër onderrig instellings se leersentrums versamel. Die
geldigheid van die resultate is geverifieër deur ‘n waarnermer in die veld wat ‘n gestruktureerde
kontrolelys vir hierdie doel gebruik het. Die resultate het getoon dat ‘n wye spektrum van onderrigmetodes deur die dosente in
verpleegkunde gebruik is en dat die student verpleegkundiges beperkte internet toegang by die
leersentrums het. Van die literatuur geïdentifiseerde onderrigmetodes wat as essensieël vir die
bevordering van teorie-praktyk integrasie is, het die dosente agt (8) metodes gebruik. Dit was
duidelik dat formele lesings grootliks oorbenut is. Dit is kommerwekkend aangesien die
lesingmetode nie voldoen aan die onderrigmetodes wat essensieël is vir die bevordering van
teorie-praktyk integrasie nie. Inteendeel, die metode beperk studente se vermoë om kritiese denke
te ontwikkel en word beskou as een van die moontlike oorsake vir die teorie-praktyk gaping. Die
resultate het verder getoon dat die meeste onderrighulpmiddels wat gebruik is, is die data-projektor
met PowerPoint skyfies, die witbord en handboeke. Die oorbenutting van handboeke word
algemeen in literatuur beskou as die beginpunt van die teorie-praktyk gaping. Die studieresultate impliseer dat ‘n toenemende bewusmaking en opleiding van die dosente in
verpleegkunde ten opsigte van hul onderrigmetodes moontlik onderrig- en fasiliteringsvaardighede
kan bevorder. Dit blyk dat dit individuele dosente se verantwoordelikheid is om te verseker dat die
essensiële onderrigmetodes vir die bevordering van teorie-praktyk integrasie gebruik word en dit is
die bestuur van enige hoër onderrig instelling se verantwoordelikheid om te verseker dat die
nodige opvoedkundige- en informasietegnologie beskikbaar is. Dit word aanbeveel dat verdere
studies gedoen word om vas te stel of dosente in verpleegkunde onderrigmetodes effektief
aanwend ten einde die teorie-praktyk gaping te verklein.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/86609 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Van Zyl, Ann Elizabeth |
| Contributors | Bitzer, E. M., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xix, 192 p. : ill., some col. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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