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Developing a work-based learning philosophy
Developing a work-based learning philosophy Worldwide, nurse educators pride themselves on being innovative and moving with the times. This can be witnessed in the many articles sent to this journal containing not only original research but an abundance of evidence illustrating a growth in the excellence of teaching within faculties and departments of nursing and midwifery. Currently, the main issue occupying our collective nursing intellect in the UK is a resurgence of interest in the educational value of practice and how ‘real nursing’ experience can be more effectively employed in the overall education of students at both pre- and postregistration level. Over the next few months I would expect to see evidence of innovations that continue to address the problems of theory/practice relationships without engaging in a dramatic dismantling of existing preregistration structures, Student nurses wish to remain principally in universities as witnessed by a recent debate at the Royal College of Nursing Congress, but there is also a call for a reappraisal of their educational preparation. The future will doubtless lie in the development of professional courses that subscribe to lifelong learning and demonstrate progression and achievement along a seamless continuum of pre- and post-registration education and training. One such growth area is the development of work-based opportunities that are flexible enough to embrace part-time study through open and distance learning. I would predict important breakthroughs in preregistration nurse education with part-time students becoming more the norm who effectively employ high quality self-study materials that are accessed through the intemet and linked to appropriately supervised practice placements. A growing body of knowledge surrounding the use of learning contracts would support this approach particularly when recruiting on a part-time basis. Learning and teaching within the traditional university
0 1999 Harcourt Brace & Co. Ltd
classroom could diminish, giving way to well organized, effective educational activities within the practice environment. The well established concept of the ‘New Learning Environment’ could take on a different and challenging meaning if nurse educators and service colleagues agreed to collaborate in the creation of a new approach to nursing education which could and possibly should involve other health professions. Realistically, this will not be to everyone’s liking. Proposals for change inevitably attract opposition from people who either wish to maintain a comfortable status quo or those who have genuine reservations, particularly if they detect a possible diminution of standards. Indeed, bandwaggons are to be avoided, but in the face of a growing recruitment and retention crisis the profession has a duty to at least consider serious proposals for attracting new recruits as well as presenting a wider portfolio of career options for those already qualified. Work-based learning is here to stay, it is a major growth area in higher education and is intended to capture the essence of workplace activity as the principal resource for learning. In his new, ground breaking book Professor Peter Jarvis (1999) explores the role of the practitioner/researcher which if taken to its logical conclusion represents a natural development of work-based lifelong reflective learning. Jarvis firmly believes that much of what we call theory is derived from practice and it is here that we should be concentrating our endeavours and resources. It requires those who control nurse education to instigate a curriculum planning process that recognizes the intrinsic educational value of practice as the source of knowledge from which most, if not all, nursing theory emanates. It also requires a reappraisal of the stage at which new pre-registration students should be exposed to practice because there is a growing realization that people enter nursing to nurse and not necessarily to sit through
Nurse Education
Today (I 9%) 1% I 73-174
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Developing
a work-based
learning
philosophy
interminable lectures without any extended reference points to the client group. Also, it would require a re-examination of the role currently occupied by the nurse academic to become much more practice focussed. In short, the work-based learning philosophy supports an idea that theory can be effectively assimilated if it is meaningfully related to well researched practice and is within the sphere of the student’s understanding. Progression from novice to expert is the desired outcome of nursing education and it could be argued that students who complete their pre-registration programme through a work-based curriculum would wish to enhance their post-registration skills in the same way, hence the requirement for a well designed system of continuing professional development and education that meets local need. Some will argue that work-based learning moves the locus of control from the university to service providers which in turn will have a longterm negative effect on educational standards. My recent experience would suggest otherwise. Development of thought, related action and reflective personal evaluation can only realistically be carried out in the work environment and at its best will represent a climate of trust and cooperation among interested parties. It will also enhance the quality of care. If
174
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the work-based philosophy is rejected and discrete self-contained post-registration courses are maintained then we serve only to deny practitioners the opportunity to become truly immersed in their craft and to develop holistically. They will also be denied the means to engage in theoretical analysis and practice through a variety of workplace experiences, thus stunting professional and personal growth and decreasing an understanding of organizational development. Without a fully supported work-based approach to learning, service providers could run the risk of lowering the overall practical competence of the nursing workforce which clearly is undesirable. Developing a work-based educational climate requires considerable investment in people and resources. Universities and Health Service providers working together in partnership through local consortia agreements is the only real way to success and this should be encouraged by central government. References Jarvis P 1999 The practitioner/researcher. Developing theory from practice. Jossey Bass, San Francisco
Professor Peter Birchenall Editor-in-Chief
0 1999 liarcourt Brace & Co. Ltd
0 1999 Harcourt Brace & Co. Ltd
classroom could diminish, giving way to well organized, effective educational activities within the practice environment. The well established concept of the ‘New Learning Environment’ could take on a different and challenging meaning if nurse educators and service colleagues agreed to collaborate in the creation of a new approach to nursing education which could and possibly should involve other health professions. Realistically, this will not be to everyone’s liking. Proposals for change inevitably attract opposition from people who either wish to maintain a comfortable status quo or those who have genuine reservations, particularly if they detect a possible diminution of standards. Indeed, bandwaggons are to be avoided, but in the face of a growing recruitment and retention crisis the profession has a duty to at least consider serious proposals for attracting new recruits as well as presenting a wider portfolio of career options for those already qualified. Work-based learning is here to stay, it is a major growth area in higher education and is intended to capture the essence of workplace activity as the principal resource for learning. In his new, ground breaking book Professor Peter Jarvis (1999) explores the role of the practitioner/researcher which if taken to its logical conclusion represents a natural development of work-based lifelong reflective learning. Jarvis firmly believes that much of what we call theory is derived from practice and it is here that we should be concentrating our endeavours and resources. It requires those who control nurse education to instigate a curriculum planning process that recognizes the intrinsic educational value of practice as the source of knowledge from which most, if not all, nursing theory emanates. It also requires a reappraisal of the stage at which new pre-registration students should be exposed to practice because there is a growing realization that people enter nursing to nurse and not necessarily to sit through
Nurse Education
Today (I 9%) 1% I 73-174
173
Developing
a work-based
learning
philosophy
interminable lectures without any extended reference points to the client group. Also, it would require a re-examination of the role currently occupied by the nurse academic to become much more practice focussed. In short, the work-based learning philosophy supports an idea that theory can be effectively assimilated if it is meaningfully related to well researched practice and is within the sphere of the student’s understanding. Progression from novice to expert is the desired outcome of nursing education and it could be argued that students who complete their pre-registration programme through a work-based curriculum would wish to enhance their post-registration skills in the same way, hence the requirement for a well designed system of continuing professional development and education that meets local need. Some will argue that work-based learning moves the locus of control from the university to service providers which in turn will have a longterm negative effect on educational standards. My recent experience would suggest otherwise. Development of thought, related action and reflective personal evaluation can only realistically be carried out in the work environment and at its best will represent a climate of trust and cooperation among interested parties. It will also enhance the quality of care. If
174
Nurse Education Today (19%) 19,
I 73-l
74
the work-based philosophy is rejected and discrete self-contained post-registration courses are maintained then we serve only to deny practitioners the opportunity to become truly immersed in their craft and to develop holistically. They will also be denied the means to engage in theoretical analysis and practice through a variety of workplace experiences, thus stunting professional and personal growth and decreasing an understanding of organizational development. Without a fully supported work-based approach to learning, service providers could run the risk of lowering the overall practical competence of the nursing workforce which clearly is undesirable. Developing a work-based educational climate requires considerable investment in people and resources. Universities and Health Service providers working together in partnership through local consortia agreements is the only real way to success and this should be encouraged by central government. References Jarvis P 1999 The practitioner/researcher. Developing theory from practice. Jossey Bass, San Francisco
Professor Peter Birchenall Editor-in-Chief
0 1999 liarcourt Brace & Co. Ltd