NURS FPX 6107 Assessment 3
Curriculum Evaluation
Curriculum evaluation is one of the broad functions of nurse educators; it is defined as the assessment of a course of instruction for the purposes of determining its worthiness to achieve its intended objectives in a systematic manner. It consists of assessment for learning, which is the process of providing feedback while the learning is in progress, and assessment of learning, which occurs at the end of the learning activities only.
Curriculum evaluation is an essential process in learning institutions whose primary aim is to improve student’s learning experience, facilitate faculty satisfaction, and stay relevant to accreditation requirements as follows (Keating, 2022). Due to this factor, nurse educators need to assess curricula constantly to ensure they are in line with the current nursing profession, which evolves from changes in the theoretical aspect, technological developments, and progression in the health care system.
This evaluation process not only assures that our students get up-to-date information and high-quality information but also equips them to handle the eventualities of the healthcare sector upon their deployment (Iwasiw & Goldenberg, 2020). Moreover, curriculum evaluation plays an essential role in addressing the stakeholders’ expectations towards curriculum, including students, curriculum teachers/faculty members, healthcare employers, and accreditation bodies.
Importance of Ongoing Curriculum Evaluation
There are several reasons why the evaluation of educational curriculum and its continuous assessment is important. First of all, it substantiates its appropriateness by providing quality assurance through the strict educational standards. This enhances the curriculum by dearly showing the strengths and weaknesses in the course in order to help the students develop good quality for the job that they have to face in the modern nursing field (Billings & Halstead, 2019).
Secondly, evaluation after the delivery assists in maintaining up to date implementation practices with the curriculum. The field of nursing is highly evolved, has always been changing with the increase in the amount of newly acquired knowledge and advancement of technology in medical sciences and practices.
This kind of analysis facilitates the update of the curriculum regarding these changes overtime so that graduates can be produced to the job market with the latest features (Keating, 2022). Thirdly, curriculum assessment is used effectively to improve student preparedness, which is commonly tested every now and then. This helps check that the students are developing core competencies that would prepare them for operating in the healthcare sector, enhancing their performances and preparedness to deliver optimal patient care (Bernardo et al., 2022).
The last advantage of the continuing evaluation process relates to the matter of continuous improvement. This leads to continuous refinement of educational programs based on the discovery of areas of weakness in the program, which can be rectified, and the identification of impactful practices that can be gradually promoted in the program for general improvement (Iwasiw & Goldenberg, 2020).
Also important is the continuous assessment and monitoring to check that the programs run as per the set accreditation standards are met to provide the institution and the student’s credential credibility. Accrediting bodies expect campuses to demonstrate ongoing evaluation as part of fulfilling the requirements stated in their standards.
Important to Consider in Curriculum Evaluation
Assessing the suitability of the curriculum to the prevailing nursing practice is crucial as a means of promoting the training of nurses who have the relevant knowledge in the contemporary advancement in medical knowledge, technology, and practice. This relevance ensures that graduates who complete nursing programs are equipped to handle the complexities of healthcare systems and standalone environments in the 21st century (Keating, 2022).
Outcomes gained by students are another important criterion that signifies the fulfilment of learning outcomes to ensure the customers acquire appropriate competencies to perform their professional tasks. This aspect of evaluation is crucial for ensuring that patients receive the best quality care while reducing risks that are inherent in healthcare delivery.
NCLEX review is important when it comes to the changes in healthcare, educational technology, and different societal aspects, and the flexibility and adaptability of the curriculum are vital components in this regard. One major advantage of a flexible curriculum is that it allows the integration into the program of newer findings, technologies and methods as and when they are developed, thereby enhancing the program’s currency and efficiency (Iwasiw & Goldenberg, 2020).
There is reason to believe that the logic of such clinicality is effective in assessing the effectiveness of the curriculum and identifying the directions for its further development in accordance with the expectations of all stakeholders, including students, academics, employers, and other authorised parties (Keating, 2022).
Imperative to ensure that effective methods of assessment are used for the purpose of determining how much the students have learnt or how much the program the students were subjected to has impacted the achievement of the learning outcomes.
Accurate, balanced, programme-linked assessments help in identifying the students’ competence levels and the overall efficacy of the curriculum (Billings & Halstead, 2019). Also, the curriculum should approximate aspects of multiculturalism and diversity so that students are well-equipped to deliver care in different settings. This aspect can be evaluated to make sure that graduates have the ability to address diverse populations, as is the need in the modern world setting when providing health care services.
How and Why Pilot Testing can be used in Curriculum Evaluation
Pilot testing is one of the methods of curriculum assessment that is effective in determining the gain and realistic testing of new formulated or modified curricular parts before full-scale implementation. In this process, the educators will be implementing the changes to the curriculum before other students by conducting the experiment with a selected number of students so that they can gather information on different parameters such as students’ performance, students’ attitudes, and faculty norms, among others.
Thus, pilot testing does away with some problems, establishes the feasibility of an approach, measures effectiveness, ensures user feedback, and avails of risks.
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Pilot testing is beneficial could be seen from the fact that it can stem problems in the early stages of appraisal. It can be said that this approach enables educators to make adjustments and improvements that may include having to change the content of the lessons, the kind of assessment that is used or logistical issues, and this has a way of improving the quality of the lessons being offered to the learners in the class (Keating, 2022).
Also, pilot testing evaluates the practicability of the curriculum changes in order to integrate them within the existing format of the school and other educational institutions where educators may implement the change.
Short-Term and Long-Term Evaluations for Process Improvement
Within the field of nursing education curriculum development, both short-term and long-term review applications are critical for not only demonstrating that the educational programs are effective but also identifying areas of opportunity for ongoing assessment and enhancement.
In the short-term, assessments centre on the production of specific performance and demonstrations of learning with practical results given to educators. For example, at the end of each semester or module, questionnaires about the learnings and insights, self-observations, and focus groups to evaluate segments of the teaching approaches, student interactions, and curriculum applicability can act as formative evaluations (Keating, 2022).
NURS FPX 6107 Assessment 3 Curriculum Evaluation
These evaluations are deemed necessary as they can inform educators about new issues that may be cropping up in the classroom or help them to reflect and improve lessons they are giving students. Hence, through short-term evaluations, nursing programs can quickly modify the educational requirements to reflect the just, current and efficient use on learning.
On the other hand, long-term evaluations have a wider perspective where it focuses on long-term consequences and effectiveness of changes in curriculum over an extensive period. Such assessments are commonly expressed in parameters like pass probabilities in certification examinations, the employment statuses of graduates, as well as the accomplishments of graduates in professional practice areas (Billings & Halstead, 2019).
Long-term assessments assist in establishing whether the curriculum developed offers long-lasting value in fostering career success and adheres to accreditation requirements. They also aid in finding patterns and possible topics for future changes that may improve the curriculum and keep it current and of high quality for future updating (Oermann et al., 2022).
Importance of Both Types of Evaluation to Curriculum Development
It emphasises the importance of the design of the curriculum to adopt both the short-term and the long-term in achieving goals in nursing education. This form of evaluation provides feedback within a short period and thus can be used to implement changes within the same period regarding the curriculum.
It also gives a clue to the current education objectives, hence developing versatile methods in delivering the curriculum, enriching the student learning process as well as addressing current issues as they emerge (Iwasiw & Goldenberg, 2020). It must be stressed that highlighting such prominences and deficiencies during the initial stage makes it easier for educators to introduce corrective measures to enhance learning for students.
Evidence-Based Nursing Concepts, Theories, and Best Practices
Nursing concepts, theories, and best practices drawn from the evidence are some of the indispensable cornerstones that need to be embraced in an effort to build and develop a curriculum in nursing education.
Such principles ensure that educational approaches employed are evidence-based and in alignment with the best practices as awarded by available research, knowledge and methods, hence to avail an effective education that will assist students to be equipped with the ability to compete for the challenges of the professional world.
The process of applying evidence-based practice (EBP) in curriculum development, therefore, entails the integration of best practice principles and theories, findings from the literature, experiences of professionals, and patient values and preferences into courses to be taught in educational settings.
For instance, when developing a module for chronic disease management for educators, one would be able to search for articles or publications to pinpoint what interventions and guidelines are best practices based on an empirical review of the literature. He observed that by using the above findings in the curriculum, there is increased knowledge among students on the current best practices in the management of chronic conditions, exercising sound clinical judgement and adopting patient-centred care (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019).
Appropriate Accreditation Body for a Selected Curriculum
It is crucial as it provides that, accreditation of nursing education programs to help in getting quality students to practice nursing as a profession.
In the United States, some of the leading accreditation agencies include; Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) with standards that aim at assessing the nursing programs appropriately, and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), again having set standard that can be used to assess the nursing programs.
CCNE specifically assesses programs at the baccalaureate, graduate, and residency degree levels with an emphasis on challenging standards regarding curriculum, faculty, students, and program impact (CCNE, n. d. ). CCNE ascertains that the nursing curricula contain evidence-based practice that reflects the existing nursing standards and ensures that graduates will practice in many settings.
The qualifications of the faculty and the educational resources are also reviewed to check whether the program meets the needs to deliver quality education for its intended clients. Reflection is an essential element of CCNE accreditation, which expects changes to happen to the educational practice based on evaluation results consequently.
Application of Accreditation Results
Complying with the terms of accreditation entails the assessment and evaluation outcomes that are critical for nursing programs to establish the credibility of their programs. Nursing programs should ensure that results from such evaluation are used in a professional manner by planning and implementing key changes that will help the program in its pursuit of maintaining and improving on the set accreditation standards.
Recommendations listed in programs should be made known and followed as soon as possible in order to fill areas that may lack proper curriculum development, qualified faculty or adequate services to support learners to improve the quality of courses and means through which learners are prepared for life.
The accreditation findings should be used in other relevant areas of strategic planning and of Curriculum Development within the nursing education domain. Since programs can use evaluation outcomes to inform future modifications and to enhance both courses and educational initiatives linked to current societal movements and evidence-based practices in healthcare, it is critical to incorporate this activity routinely.
Incorporation of accreditation results into the processes of educational management shows care and sensitivity to the institution’s quality beside the stakeholders ranging from learners, teachers, employers and even the recognised and authorised bodies.
Conclusion
Curriculum evaluation in nursing education has benefits that act as a foundation for improving and accomplishing educational goals. The concept of evaluation allows nursing educators to reflect on the outcomes and impact of choosing a particular curriculum design, the approaches used in teaching, and student’s performance in enhancing the quality of future nursing education.
The significance of curriculum evaluation is, therefore, to make sure that learning needs are being met in concordance with the existing standards, policies, and empirical literature in the arena of health care provision. Revisiting and revising the contents of the curriculum within various approved nursing programs will help to meet those changes in healthcare requirements, technologies, and society, as needed. This also ensures that graduates are able to meet the multifaceted challenges that are required in today’s healthcare setting.
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NURS FPX 6107 Assessment 2
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