Book review: Curriculum Development In Nursing Education (4th. Edition)

Revisiting this book Curriculum Development In Nursing Education [CDNE] in its 4th edition is pure co-incidence as I champion and study four care domains (and besides with the spiritual - there are five care domains). Working on a paper in summer 2020 I realised it was a decade since my review of the 2nd edition. 

While I, we all like - to think we progress in our thought, I see I'm picking up on the same themes - so this in itself is helpful. The graphics inside the front and back cover pages tell me to remember the 'brief' and not look for clinical practice (content) here. There's continuity in the style of the cover design and format. The text clear and prose easy to follow while very detailed with numerous sources referenced.

The book's webpage covers:

Overview, Table of Contents, About the Author(s), Sample Materials, and Instructor Resources. The latter include:

• PPTs
• Case Studies
• Questions + Activities

CDNE is front (back) and center focussed on the processes involved in curriculum development, through scholarship, faculty development and ongoing appraisal. It's always useful to revisit key terms and definitions. It is not only technology that is dynamic, as the past two years have shown. Plus, things have clearly moved-on since my original PGCE studies, teaching experience, mentoring and mentor updates. 

As regular readers will realize I constantly seek out links, associations and support for the project here. I still have an 'itch' regards nurse theory. The theory-practice gap is noted (p.347) and nursing conceptual frameworks (p.313). So and in due order, the book isn't about the content of curricula, but the organization. The discussion on definitions of 'curriculum' is salutary since 2019-2020:

1. post-COVID-19 (watch this space)

2. nursing - the curriculum - in the 21st century 

    (self-care, nursing workforce, the profession, global health, climate change, technoscience)

This is a major task. CDNE is vested in actions: especially by faculty, data gathering, implementation, checking of standards - fidelity of delivery. Once again there are template - form examples for data gathering. The book is general in terms of specific approaches to curriculum development.

The table (using Hodges' model) below represents figure 13-5 (p.347) "Examples of concepts addressed in Professional, Ethical, and Legal Obligations: A Critical Appraisal 2017-2018." 

I have indicated overlaps. Curriculum planning, design and development is about assurance, so too is Hodges' model with this being an original purpose for the model.*

Individual
|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ------------------------------------------ mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

Group

clients communication relational practice ethical practice critical reflection patient safety	clients critical reflection (time, events, context, place) patient safety
ethical practice collaboration (team work inc. patient & carers) communication (family) relational practice social determinants of health patient safety (public health) social	health and healthcare policy political influences advocacy patient safety professionalism: accountability, self-regulation  justice

Reconceptualizing curriculum design sounds a rather academic exercise, and as such the book brings home the role that concepts play and the impact of such activities can have not only on teaching staff, but their numbers which are also explored (p.328). Emphasis on innovation and creativity in teaching, learning and deployment of educational technology are discussed at length (chapter 16). Chapter 16 is a reminder of how the combination of LMS and CMS is a non-trivial requirement in education. It seems the book was published just prior to COVID-19's intervention. We are all too aware of the effects of COVID on student's experiences and how suddenly the strengths and limitations of learning technology and video were exposed. Social media was shown in its dual-coated regalia of gift and curse. Social media is in the text (p.350, 353 for example) but is not listed in the index (as with values).

The core of the book delivers:

• Part  II  Core Processes of Curriculum Work
• Part  III  Preparation for Curriculum Development
• Part  IV  Development of an Evidence Informed, Context-Relevant, Unified Curriculum

Of course, I appreciate the book's concept-based content (p.242) which prompts me to continue to study and keep alive the dream of a new website that seems forever virtual. Efforts to ignite learning are listed in table 13-2 (pp.351-353) across three pages from algorithms, humor, to written assignments.

Ideas on teaching, learning, educational frameworks and pedagogies is a further revision exercise and update, and for some readers may act as a primer for more reading. The linking of content to philosophy and curriculum philosophy is once again very welcome. As befits a text that originates in the USA, NCLEX®, external reviews and accreditation are activities that affect curricula worldwide. 'Wanting my cake and eating it' I wondered if some of the references need updating, not - to be clear - that I have specific suggestions; more a case of what a decade in education, today, means? The student nurse who read a draft paper and commented on the references (XXXX) clearly still resonates with me. This may be COVID-induced angst, but may be something for the 5th edition? A decade and more is not long for the educational and philosophical foundations (p.274, psychomotor domain levels), but in EdTech terms...? There are now exacerbating factors too.

As with the author's findings (pp.309-310) I have a sense that in transdisciplinary, and interprofessional education, there is much to understand and unpick - metacognition, reflection (p.310). You will find 'climate of collegiality' (p.392). Am I losing the thread again in reaching for the green spray paint? Should nursing (and all healthcare no less) curricula take into account climate change, or is this a political step too far? 

It seems not:

Anthropocene skills need to be at the centre of curricula, Peter Sutoris  30 January 2021

'Anthropocene skills' - to what extent do these include reflection, critical thinking, integrated approaches..? Wither the global conceptual framework to act as a scaffold?

Is there a top 10 of research themes with fields of study? Perhaps the lack of such a list is a positive, as so many such lists are produced as social media click-bait. It might be worth referencing more recent and emerging fields; threshold concepts, networked learning for example. As in 2009, I am biased. While scholarship is a synonym for research, I would expect to see the latter in the index. The educational establishment must produce research and an ongoing conveyor of newly qualified nurses. Perhaps university and colleges in combination (p.304) may produce an educational ecosystem that can fulfill both purposes. A crucial human resource role at a time when demographics present a challenge that is local, national and global. 

As a practitioner - CDNE is an excellent book, with much educational learning even if you are not working specifically on curriculum review, design, planning and development. Chapters are all accessible, and as standalone reading with the summary and case studies. The index is comprehensive and well organised.

I have some draft notes for a course on Hodges' model. This book is a great motivation to not only return to that task, but complete it.

Special thanks to Clare McMillan, European Manage, Class Professional Publishing

https://www.classprofessional.co.uk/

- and to acknowledge, I received this book in Aug-Sept 2020. Apologies for the delay.

*This was pre-'Project 2000'. Yes a long, long time ago, the 1980s in fact.

Happy New Year everyone!