Date of Award

1997-05-01

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Science

Dissertation Committee

Diane C. Hatton, DNSc, RN, CS, Chairperson; Patricia A. Roth, EdD, RN; Mary Woods Scherr, PhD

Keywords

Associates Degree in Nursing, community colleges, faculty, Grounded theory, nursing, nursing program, nursing students, teaching strategies

Abstract

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explore the perceptions of associate degree nursing faculty regarding their classroom teaching experiences. A purposive, convenience sample of twenty-one educators volunteered to participate in the study. Data were primarily obtained through semi-structured interviews over a period of six months. Data collection and analysis occurred simultaneously utilizing the constant comparative method. Igniting the Mind emerged as the core category of the study. This category represented the methods nurse educators use to involve students in the process of learning. Igniting the Mind entails making a connection, letting go, getting buy-in, trying something new, pointing the way and, ultimately, seeing the changes exhibited by students. The educator's role is to create a learning environment that embraces challenge, support, engagement, and empowerment for all students. The emergent theory provides the basis for future instrument development. The proposed instrument would assess the effectiveness of various teaching strategies on student success. In addition, the findings of this study will provide novice and expert teachers with the tools to actively engage students in the process of learning.

Document Type

Dissertation: Open Access

Department

Nursing

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Nursing Commons

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