A survey: Nurse Lecturers undergraduate students, e-learning, e-portfolios, innovation in reflective skills

For the latest module in my TEL studies at Lancaster University Researching Technology Enhanced/Networked Learning, Teaching and Assessment I'd wondered about a focus group combined with a survey. The constraints remain non-trivial doing this part-time and from outside academia - in practice. This past week I've also attended the final residential of part 1 (more on this soon). Returning to the module's study, the focus group isn't going to happen and with Easter upon us this is not the best time to engage in studies, but of the course this applies for all students.

As the blog nears its ninth birthday in several posts I've mentioned the many assumptions that are exercised in certain items. Here I am in Wigan (WN4), Lancashire (all flat caps, pies and Northern Soul) and also looking South, East and West with global health a key concern. The same applies to my experience of nurse education as a mentor and sign-off mentor. I'm making what may be some very large assumptions based on the studies so far, work with students on placement and as was pointed out, nursing and health make up a small part of the strategic adoption and influence relating to an institution's learning management system [LMS]. Does anyone have any figures on this?

The assumptions are that many lecturers do not have the time, or possibly the skills to make full use of the features and potential of the LMSs. So, I am wondering about the scope for innovation to support our student's reflective skills and practice; that is, beyond written essays and forums on the LMS. Is this symptomatic of feature bloat as per office applications? Does this make the 'walls' higher? These are issues I can investigate in the brief literature review within my report submission.

So I am pursuing a qualitative study with an interpretive stance. If you are nurse lecturer for undergraduate student nurses, or other courses and including social care I would greatly appreciate your assistance with the survey already posted in the sidebar. This is an experiment too in terms of using Survey Monkey for the first time and a basic account. I'll look at Bristol Online Survey in future.

...

Many thanks
Peter

Ngrams: E-portfolios, nursing theory, models of nursing...: Do the lines run true?

For the latest module I'm looking at e-portfolios in nursing education and possibly wider afield. In the FT Weekend Life & Arts there is an extract -

Capitalism’s secret love affair with bureaucracy

- from David Graeber’s book: The Utopia of Rules: On Technology, Stupidity, and the Secret Joys of Bureaucracy published this week on March 12. It includes a graph from Google Books Ngram a word count through time of 'bureaucracy'. I'd read about Ngrams and tried them quite some time ago, but never used them. Now's my chance.

The graph below began with e-portfolio and eportfolio. I tried nursing e-portfolio... but these were not found. With conceptual framework the scale was disrupted. Adding models of nursing and nursing theory provided a frame that also nicely encompasses, at least in this rendering, conceptual space and threshold concepts.

At the risk of asking too much of the graph if not the source, we might be disappointed that models of nursing is not running concurrent with e-portfolio and reassured that nursing theory has waned but is 'still up there'. This is to forget though that the count for e-portfolio here is general not nursing specific.

Ngrams are another tool and a dynamic one no doubt, when the API is utilised, the data downloaded and words are re-examined over time. In answer to the title's question, I do not believe the lines do run true but this is about nursing and e-portfolios.

Drupal musings 20: Keswick and that basic site....

OK hands-up! While up in Keswick (Sun - Weds), yes I wasted time trying to get a parallax effect to work. A layered graphic effect that as was pointed out on Wednesday evening's standards>next: event at MadLab you can only see when you re-size the window.

Anyway on Tuesday I saw sense and adopted the theme - Danland. I looked at Framework as a starter theme. The large banner images included were unnecessary, reading the theme's handbook I noticed there is a subtheme without the pretty pictures. In the end I returned with the required "DJ" content (as in music) accessed via a four option menu that includes an enquiry form created using webform. So the first basic steps have been taken. I've been here before and must carry on. Some users need to be added, styling, test, backup and migrate, test, and to figure out hosting.

The sessions I attended at MadLab were really useful for this and the future h2cm project with talks on CSS3, web fonts, and adaptive layout.

In addition to some walking, on Tuesday I had a run by the river Greta - lovely. That shook out a few cobwebs. I also met the team at M&K Update who are based in Keswick. Over a coffee I was able to confirm in person the travel arrangements for May's event and a further presentation.

Now there are also just 30 pages left of From A to <A> Keywords of Markup, Bradley Dilger and Jeff Rice (editors) University of Minnesota Press so I can complete the book review. There are a couple of posts there too.

Off to London this weekend for the HEA Reflective Practice SIG meeting: Assessment, Evidence, and Critical Reflection : What are the issues? Are portfolios a panacea? 28/03/2011:
which includes Using Hodges Health Domains as a Portfolio Structure.