The teaching/learning preferences of student nurses in the Republic of Ireland; background issues and a study

Teaching and learning in all forms of education is being increasingly reviewed in a climate of educational accountability. The literature generally displays a certain irrationality about nurse education; on the one hand teachers are espousing student-centred ideologies while on the other hand, students are expressing preferences for teacher-structured approaches. The research on nurse education generally concludes that the roles of teacher and student operate around a mechanistic view of man with the teacher being viewed as the front of all knowledge and the students the passive recipients of that which was given. This paper reports on related background issues, and a study of the teaching/learning preferences of student nurses from general, psychiatric, sick children's and mental handicap nursing. Whilst students reflected preferences for more teacher-structured strategies, significant differences were identified between the preferences of the four groups of student nurses. It is concluded that any insistence on a doctrinaire approach to teaching and learning would be unnecessarily restrictive to the whole process of nurse education. Nurse tutors therefore need to reflect on what they do, particularly that which influences the relationship between the students and what they learn. It is then the responsibility of nurse tutors to act on what they have learned about that relationship and their part in it.     

Relevance: Who Decides?

Relevance and usefulness are important concepts in the academic world today, and I am grateful to Menges and Trumpeter (1972) for their analysis of the topic from the point of view of the undergraduate student in psychology. However, I believe it is a mistake to leave unspoken the fact that undergraduates might be quite mistaken in deciding that a topic is or is not relevant and useful, possibly as a result of the fact that the relevance of a topic is not made clear by the instructor. If the curriculum is to be structured in terms of relevance, expert opinion should be used instead of student opinion. To do otherwise is to cheat both society and students. Possibly a commission of experts could define the nature and extent of the usefulness of the various topics. Some attempt at evaluation of consequences would also be helpful. I believe this has been made more possible by the fact that, to their credit, the students used by Menges and Trumpeter tended to collapse relevance and usefulness into a single construct and distinguished more clearly between those concepts and interest. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Medicolegal education and crisis in interprofessional relations

An increase in malpractice claims is only one indication of the problem physicians and attorneys have in their interprofessional relations. This note explores the factors, such as increased specialization and social responsibility, that have given these professionals a myopic view of their respective roles. The note suggests that the crisis in interprofessional relations can be alleviated by interdisciplinary education in professional schools. It examines the problems inherent in current interdisciplinary programs and offers a model program jointly taught to law and medical students. The model course uses a problem solving approach that forces each student to examine the methods and limitations of both professions and to develop a concept of the professional's role in society.     

Sex-role strain and personality adjustment of China-born students in America: A pilot study.

Since the role of student has been traditionally reserved for the male in Chinese society, hypothesized that China-born, female undergraduates would feel generally alienated from and in defiance of norms of the parent culture. Results on the CPI with 43 male and 43 female China-born undergraduates supported this view, with females scoring lower on Socialization and Good Impression. The Chinese model of the feminine role (reserve, patience, modesty, etc.) was most rejected by the subsample of females on student visas, and most accepted by the naturalized females (including permanent residents), as reflected on the CPI Femininity Scale. Regardless, of sex, natrualized and resident students clearly outranked visa students on important aspects of psychological health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Identification of a new P450 subfamily, CYP4F1, expressed in rat hepatic tumors

This study focused on the belief of some nurse educators that caring cannot be taught directly and is learned by students from faculty role-modeling and faculty student interactions in clinical, classroom, and other situations. The purpose was to further explore these beliefs to determine if nursing students perceived that they learn caring behaviors through observing role-modeling by faculty, as well as to explore students' perceptions of other means by which they learn about caring. Since opportunities for faculty to model nurse caring behaviors in the clinical setting are varied and serendipitous, a videotaped scenario simulating a patient care situation, using professional actors, was created and shown to nursing students. The videotape was seen by 137 BSN and ADN students who then recorded their perceptions on a two-page open-ended questionnaire developed by the researchers. Results from this study indicated that students do learn about caring from faculty role-modeling, as well as from health care staff they encounter, often in a very paradoxical way. Many interesting and unintended results also occurred through the use of this research approach.     

Review of Psychology in Relation to Medicine (Second edition).

Reviews the book, Psychology in Relation to Medicine (Second edition) by R. M. Mowbray and T. Ferguson Rodger. Until the relationships between psychology and medicine become less ambiguous than they are at present, books such as this are both difficult to write and difficult to review. The relationships between these two professions may be viewed in many ways, but there are two broad views prevalent. The first view sees psychology as one of the basic sciences of medicine--a basic science that is particularly relevant in the training of psychiatrists. The other view sees psychology as a discipline that runs parallel to medicine. If one were to accept the first of these views, then presumably the medical student would be required to obtain a thorough grounding in psychology. If one takes the second view of the relationship between psychology and medicine, then the medical student requires probably only one course which will give him some familiarity with the work one of his close professional colleagues will be doing. The reviewer suggests that satisfactory books for medical students will only be written and can only be written when the relationships between psychology and medicine are more precisely delineated. Whatever these relationships may be, it is likely that the books written for medicine and accepted by the medical profession for their students will be more meaty than this one. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of Moral Development.

Reviews the book, Handbook of Moral Development edited by Melanie Killen and Judith G. Smetana (see record 2005-11748-000). This is a big book on a big topic. Editors Melanie Killen and Judith Smetana have solicited 26 chapters on the topic of moral development, including many of the key authors and researchers currently working in the field. While the editors themselves share the perspective of "social domain" theory, the breadth of the current volume is much wider. Indeed it provides a representative overview of work ranging across the entire landscape of moral development research today. The 26 chapters are organized into six sections: structuralism and moral stages, social domain theory, conscience development and internalization, social interactional and comparative approaches, emotions and empathy, and moral education. In general, each chapter reviews recent work on a particular topic within these six areas, provides a theoretical context and overview of the research and typically discusses the author(s)' own research program in detail. Many of the chapters also consider, if only briefly, ideas and prospects for future research as well. The chapters are thus up-to-date, generally well-written, and approachable for advanced students and scholars within the field. This is as good an overview as we are likely to get from our current vantage point. It can be highly recommended for advanced-level students and scholars in the field alike. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The use of panoramic viewing system in relaxing retinotomy and retinectomy

BACKGROUND: It can be argued that the ethical conduct of research involves achieving a balance between the rights and needs of three parties-potential research participants, society, and researchers. Local Research Ethics Committees (LRECs) have a number of roles and functions in the research enterprise, but there have been some indications that LREC members, researchers and the public can have different views about these responsibilities. Any such differences are potential sources of disagreement and misunderstanding. OBJECTIVES: To compare the views of LREC members, researchers and the public towards the roles and functions of LRECs. DESIGN: A questionnaire that contained items concerned with a variety of such roles was distributed to general practice patients (as proxies for potential research participants), researchers and LREC members. FINDINGS: While general practice patients believed that the main function of LRECs is to ensure that research participants come to no harm, LREC members were more concerned with the protection of participants' rights. There was also some disagreement between members and researchers with regard to the consideration of proposals on the grounds of scientific merit. CONCLUSIONS: Local Research Ethics Committee members need to be aware of potential differences in views, that they ought to make their priorities clear, and that membership of LRECs ought to reflect the views of both researchers and potential research participants.     

Teacher influences on student achievement.

Reviews research that indicates that students achieve more when their teachers emphasize academic objectives in establishing expectations and allocating time, use effective management strategies to ensure that academic learning time is maximized, pace students through the curriculum briskly but in small steps that allow high rates of success, and adapt curriculum materials based on their knowledge of students' characteristics. Qualitative research also indicates that teachers differ in how they perform such instructional behaviors as giving information, asking questions, and providing feedback. Context-specific effects are noted with respect to grade level, socioeconomic status (SES), ability and affect, and teacher intentions. It is concluded that any attempt to improve student achievement must be based on the development of effective teaching behavior. (66 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Learning "facts" versus learning that most questions have many answers: Student evaluations of contrasting curricula.

In interviews, urban African American students (Grades 1–8) were asked to compare the memorization of noncontroversial information with the learning and discussion of information designed to help students develop personal stances on controversial matters. Younger students did not clearly see one curriculum as more fair. Older students, more so than younger students, saw collaborative inquiry about controversial topics as fair and as likely to foster motivation. They also more strongly agreed that school should foster motivation and understanding, and they valued memorizing less than did younger students. That is, older students' views resembled the view of critics who argue that schools place undue emphasis on "fixed facts and skills to be acquired" (J. I. Goodlad, 1984, p. 209). Possible roles of student voice in curricula matters are noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Qualitative Research Methods for Psychologists: Introduction through Empirical Studies.

Reviews the book, Qualitative Research Methods for Psychologists: Introduction through Empirical Studies edited by Constance T. Fischer (2006). This book is intended as an introductory textbook for psychology students and psychologists who have been trained in traditional psychological research methods with the goal of providing an orientation to qualitative research frameworks and how they are applied to the many research questions that might be considered by psychologists. The book begins with a useful introductory chapter by the editor that provides a historical overview of the emergence of psychology as a science concerned primarily with determining causal relationships. There are 13 chapters in the body of the book and they are gathered into three parts: Clinical Practices, Affective and Cognitive Processes, and Life Situations. The book ends with a Question and Responses chapter by the editor that covers many of the questions novice qualitative researchers often have about qualitative research. The last section is a detailed Glossary of terms that are significant in understanding qualitative research. There is much in this book to recommend it as an introductory book on qualitative research for graduate students and beginning qualitative researchers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The college student as interviewer: A threat to generalizability?

A review of 6 studies which compared decision-making processes of employment interviewers and college students to examine the generalizability of research conclusions based on college student samples showed that relative to interviewers, students are lenient in their ratings. No other important differences have been reported, and findings appear to be quite comparable with respect to variances, intercorrelations, interrater agreement, and main effects for decision process, content, and accuracy. It is concluded that generalizability should never be merely assumed, but rather demonstrated empirically in other research areas, following the example of the studies involving interview decision-making. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Motivational Science Perspective on the Role of Student Motivation in Learning and Teaching Contexts.

A motivational science perspective on student motivation in learning and teaching contexts is developed that highlights 3 general themes for motivational research. The 3 themes include the importance of a general scientific approach for research on student motivation, the utility of multidisciplinary perspectives, and the importance of use-inspired basic research on motivation. Seven substantive questions are then suggested as important directions for current and future motivational science research efforts. They include (1) What do students want? (2) What motivates students in classrooms (3) How do students get what they want? (4) Do students know what they want or what motivates them? (5) How does motivation lead to cognition and cognition to motivation? (6) How does motivation change and develop? and (7) What is the role of context and culture? Each of the questions is addressed in terms of current knowledge claims and future directions for research in motivational science. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

APA ethics and student authorship on master's theses.

Comments on M. A. Fine and L. A. Kurdek's (see record 1994-11404-001) discussion of authorship credit in faculty–student collaborations. W. R. Shadish addresses the order of authorship on publications stemming from student master's theses. It is argued that the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (1992) needs to be clarified to encourage students and faculty in research training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Personality theory and research: An international perspective.

Reviews the book, Personality theory and research: An international perspective by Gordon L. Flett (2007). On the whole, this is an excellent textbook. It provides a balance between discussion of theory and research, both contemporary and historical, from an international and cross-cultural perspective. It makes a special effort to highlight research contributions made by researchers in Canada and countries other than the United States. The book also emphasises the science underlying personality psychology and acknowledges the practical aspects of personality theory and research. This textbook contains 14 chapters, which are well-written, focus on interesting empirical and real-world examples, and include sections that should facilitate student comprehension. This textbook provides a good introduction to personality theory and research. It makes a convincing argument that personality matters. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Analogue versus clinical depression: A critical reappraisal.

Much of the existing psychological literature on depression is based on research with college students. An important question is whether depression in college students represents an appropriate analog of depression in clinical patients. The purpose of the present article is to review past evidence on this issue from a critical perspective. Past arguments are examined, and little support is found for the position that depression research with college students is not warranted. Moreover, the results of studies with student and clinical samples are compared, and the findings are generally similar across populations. Next, a number of methodological issues are identified that may actually favor the use of depressed college students, and some methodological recommendations for future research are outlined. Finally, an appeal is made for research that directly examines the analog–clinical issue and the nature of college student depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The social norms of alcohol-related negative consequences.

Social norms for alcohol use are important influences on individual college student drinking. The present study extends social norms research by examining alcohol-related consequences and, in particular, whether similar misperceptions exist regarding the frequency and evaluation of these consequences over time. College student drinkers (N = 624) participating in a longitudinal study completed Web-based surveys assessing alcohol use and related consequences, as well as their beliefs about frequency and evaluation of consequences for the typical college student. Findings suggest that students overestimated how often typical college students experience negative consequences and underestimated how negatively other students evaluated those consequences. Finally, results support a bidirectional model for alcohol-related consequences, possibly indicating a reciprocal, mutually influential feed-forward loop of norms and consequences that promotes maintenance of college student drinking and consequences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Behavioral analysis of drug dependence.

Reviews the book, Behavioral analysis of drug dependence edited by Steven R. Goldberg and Ian P. Stolerman (1986). This volume brings together the main findings of basic research in behavioral pharmacology that have direct relevance to issues in drug dependence. As the editors note, the book is unique in being organized around behavioral principles rather than specific drug classes. It is also unique in making accessible a series of clearly written, well-edited summaries of the experimental literature to professionals and students who have no special background in behavioral pharmacology. I would recommend the Goldberg and Stolerman collection to researchers as well as substance abuse professionals and I think any student of substance abuse will find much of value here. The book will make a wonderful seminar at the graduate or advanced undergraduate level. Goldberg and Stolerman have succeeded in making an excellent overview of the behavioral pharmacology literature on drug dependence available to us in a single volume. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of measurements for marriage & family therapy.

Reviews the book, Handbook of measurements for marriage & family therapy by N. Fredman and R. Sherman (1987). This book has provided a service for the field by collecting in one source the measurement instruments published since 1975. However, a major drawback is that the method for selecting measurements for inclusion in the handbook is not stated. While the handbook is intended as a source for practitioners, researchers, and trainees, it is most useful to researchers, graduate students, and others interested in surveying the current state of the science. Clearly, the study of marriage and family therapy remains in its infancy. Collectively, the measures presented possess serious sampling, reliability, and/or validity limitations. Systematic research building on the base of the strongest instruments, rather than increasing the proliferation of new instruments with sampling, reliability, and validity limitations, is an important direction for the field to pursue. The handbook, despite its own limitations, does provide a valuable first step for the serious student and researcher. It is a recommended addition to the library of every graduate program offering training in marriage and family therapy and would be a particularly useful reading in introductory marital and family therapy courses. As for clinicians, the handbook offers nothing to replace a good clinical interview. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)