Rethinking learning communities to develop new nursing faculty: Discovering agency

23^rd World Nursing and Healthcare Conference

July 10-12, 2017 Berlin, Germany

Judith Honeyfield

Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, New Zealand

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

Improved educational outcomes for current and future generations of nursing students rely on the preparation, development and on-going support of nursing faculty. A recent New Zealand study has highlighted that the transition and initial preparation from practice to educator requires a new model. In response, this presentation will outline the development of the Whanau learning community model (WLCM) - a new bi-cultural model following the development and evaluation of resources to support new faculty in conjunction with Ako Aotearoa, New Zealand�s National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence. Transformative and pragmatic paradigms guided the methodological approach that investigated the experiences of 94 new teachers in conjunction with the perceptions of nine key stakeholders from a broad cross section of higher education. Participants reported issues of being �thrown in at the deep end� and of role confusion related to their new teaching identity. The research confirmed faculty is often subjected to an �ad hoc� approach to professional development, and are heavily reliant on the skill set they bring with them, making them highly vulnerable to early exit from academia. The WLCM model builds on a learning community concept and presents a deliberate, collective approach to mediate the current gap between issues of timeliness and availably for learning and teaching development over other competing priorities for new faculty.

Biography :

Judith Honeyfield has experience in Nursing Education and Practice. She was the Head of School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies. She currently leads a Masters in Professional Studies and a member of the Post-graduate Board of Studies as well as teachers in a Bachelor of Nursing programme. Her research interests include new teaching and learning approaches and supporting students which was a nationally funded project completed in 2016. She completed her PhD in Education in 2016, and continues to offer teaching development workshops nationwide.