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Federal Council for Science and Technology 1975 Directory of Federal Technology Transfer Resources, Contact Points. Washington: Superintendent of Documents. Festinger, Leon 1964 Behavioral Support for Opinion Change. Public Opinion Quarterly 28:404. Halpert, Harold P. 1966 Communications as a Basic Tool in Promoting Utilization of Research Findings. Community Health Journal 231-236. Havelock, Ronald G., and Mary LC. Havelock 1973 Training for Change Agents: A Guide to the Design of Training Programs in Education and Other Fields. Ann Arbor. University of Michigan Press. Horsley, JoAnne 1975 Conduct and Utilization of Clinical Nursing Research. Grant funded by HEW Division of Nursing N U00542. Katz, E. 1961 The Social Itinerary of Technical Change: Two Studies in Diffusions of Innovation. Human Organization 20:70. Lewin, Kurt 1951 Field Theory in Social Science. New York: Harper and Brothers. Mackie, Robert R. 1974 Chuckholes in the Bumpy Road from Research to Application. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, New Orleans. Rogers, Everett M., and F. Floyd Shoemaker 1971 Communication of Innovations: A Cross-Cultural Approach. New York: Free Press. Stetler, Cheryl B., and Gwen Marram 1976 Evaluating Research Findings for Applicability in Practice. Nursing Outlook 24:559-563. Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education 1974 Regional Program for Nursing Research Development. Grant funded by HEW Division of Nursing N U00415.
Strategies For Teaching Nursing Research Ruth Ludemann We welcome readers to this regularfeature on research teaching strategies. One general objective for this column is to provide the Downloaded from wjn.sagepub.com at Purdue University on June 5, 2016
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Western Journal of Nursing Research
teacher of research with insights into teaching strategies used by other teachers. How interesting (or heaven forbid, dull) it would be if we could actually sit in on one another's courses and observe strategies, both the effective and the not-so-effective methods. Toward this end, we will be reporting on a variety of stategies used by others. The editor will be delighted to receive communications from teachers who would like to share their strategies in this column. We will try to identify effective strategies for a wide range of student-consumer groups: undergraduate and graduate nursing students, practicing RN's who have had no introduction to nursing research in their curricula, faculty, and even non nursing groups. A second general objective is to evoke in all of us involved with teaching nursing research a keener awarness of some of the issues related to teaching strategies. Strategies cannot be divorced from content. If only they could be, forums such as this would not be necessary; we could simply review a teaching methods book when we are unsure of howto proceed next. However, often our problem is not so much one of "how" but of "where" and "what." Where should the course go? What content for what level? What are appropriate research objectives for all nurses? Should all nurses be researchers? If so, how are we defining research? These kinds of questions continue to plague many teachers of nursing research. Therefore, in a series of upcoming articles, we will attempt to discuss issues as well as strategies related to teaching research. A few general considerations related to the teaching of nursing research deserve a hearing in the launching of this series. As a profession, we have consensus that research should be an integral part of nursing, and there is evidence of the interest in the activities of the professional organization (See 1977). Yet, not infrequently, when we identify ourselves as being interested in nursing research, we are viewed somewhat askance. The reaction seems to occur more as we move further out from academic settings. Skepticism often comes from nurses who have had some experience with nursing research, either through course work or as participants in a study. Research may be viewed as dull, or even worse, as meaningless. How can we, through our teaching strategies, turn people on instead of turn people off to nursing research? Research is after all, not only a body of knowledge, but also a value and an attitude (Lindeman 1978). Discussions with turned-off nurses have led to discovery of at least two teaching strategies that have been very effective in turning them off: the "cookbooking" strategy and the "losing the forest" strategy. The cookbooking strategy, in which one learns to do research by following the recipe, results in encouraging the student not to question. "I'm not sure why; this is what I was taught. I simply follow the steps." This approach to the research process is antithetical to the whole concept of searching and researching. Understanding and teaching the research Downloaded from wjn.sagepub.com at Purdue University on June 5, 2016
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process not as a series of absolute steps, but rather as a choice of modes that may be kaleidoscoped in a variety of patterns, may help reduce the number of turned-off students. Another turn-off is caused by the "losing the forest" strategy. Students, sometimes with faculty assistance, become so focused on one small aspect of their study that the overall purpose is lost. Likewise students sometimes have their original interest or problem so sharply redefined or narrowly focused that they truly feel alienated ... from their interest and from research. The balance between rigor and meaning must be carefully maintained, especially in early research courses. We need to encourage students to explore many trees and roam through the entire forest of research, rather than forcing upon them a preoccupation with our own favorite tree (theory, problem, method, analysis technique, etc.). Strategies for turning-on, then, have already been alluded to. Students of every level and age can get excited by the "forest," or the real meaning of research; learning not only what others already know, but adding to knowledge through the discovery and sharing of new facts is a high motivator. Improved patient care, improved working conditions, improved teaching methods (even in research courses) can be the outcomes. False hopes? False promises? I think not. Belief in the research process is a value and an attitude, and attitudes can be transmitted through the socialization process. Let's share some of our own teaching strategies for achieving these goals in the coming issues.
REFERENCES Lindeman, Carol 1978 Nursing Research. Paper presented at workshop at Montana State University School of Nursing, March 16-17, 1978. See, Elizabeth 1977 The ANA and Research in Nursing. Nursing Research 26:165-171.
Downloaded from wjn.sagepub.com at Purdue University on June 5, 2016
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Federal Council for Science and Technology 1975 Directory of Federal Technology Transfer Resources, Contact Points. Washington: Superintendent of Documents. Festinger, Leon 1964 Behavioral Support for Opinion Change. Public Opinion Quarterly 28:404. Halpert, Harold P. 1966 Communications as a Basic Tool in Promoting Utilization of Research Findings. Community Health Journal 231-236. Havelock, Ronald G., and Mary LC. Havelock 1973 Training for Change Agents: A Guide to the Design of Training Programs in Education and Other Fields. Ann Arbor. University of Michigan Press. Horsley, JoAnne 1975 Conduct and Utilization of Clinical Nursing Research. Grant funded by HEW Division of Nursing N U00542. Katz, E. 1961 The Social Itinerary of Technical Change: Two Studies in Diffusions of Innovation. Human Organization 20:70. Lewin, Kurt 1951 Field Theory in Social Science. New York: Harper and Brothers. Mackie, Robert R. 1974 Chuckholes in the Bumpy Road from Research to Application. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, New Orleans. Rogers, Everett M., and F. Floyd Shoemaker 1971 Communication of Innovations: A Cross-Cultural Approach. New York: Free Press. Stetler, Cheryl B., and Gwen Marram 1976 Evaluating Research Findings for Applicability in Practice. Nursing Outlook 24:559-563. Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education 1974 Regional Program for Nursing Research Development. Grant funded by HEW Division of Nursing N U00415.
Strategies For Teaching Nursing Research Ruth Ludemann We welcome readers to this regularfeature on research teaching strategies. One general objective for this column is to provide the Downloaded from wjn.sagepub.com at Purdue University on June 5, 2016
76
Western Journal of Nursing Research
teacher of research with insights into teaching strategies used by other teachers. How interesting (or heaven forbid, dull) it would be if we could actually sit in on one another's courses and observe strategies, both the effective and the not-so-effective methods. Toward this end, we will be reporting on a variety of stategies used by others. The editor will be delighted to receive communications from teachers who would like to share their strategies in this column. We will try to identify effective strategies for a wide range of student-consumer groups: undergraduate and graduate nursing students, practicing RN's who have had no introduction to nursing research in their curricula, faculty, and even non nursing groups. A second general objective is to evoke in all of us involved with teaching nursing research a keener awarness of some of the issues related to teaching strategies. Strategies cannot be divorced from content. If only they could be, forums such as this would not be necessary; we could simply review a teaching methods book when we are unsure of howto proceed next. However, often our problem is not so much one of "how" but of "where" and "what." Where should the course go? What content for what level? What are appropriate research objectives for all nurses? Should all nurses be researchers? If so, how are we defining research? These kinds of questions continue to plague many teachers of nursing research. Therefore, in a series of upcoming articles, we will attempt to discuss issues as well as strategies related to teaching research. A few general considerations related to the teaching of nursing research deserve a hearing in the launching of this series. As a profession, we have consensus that research should be an integral part of nursing, and there is evidence of the interest in the activities of the professional organization (See 1977). Yet, not infrequently, when we identify ourselves as being interested in nursing research, we are viewed somewhat askance. The reaction seems to occur more as we move further out from academic settings. Skepticism often comes from nurses who have had some experience with nursing research, either through course work or as participants in a study. Research may be viewed as dull, or even worse, as meaningless. How can we, through our teaching strategies, turn people on instead of turn people off to nursing research? Research is after all, not only a body of knowledge, but also a value and an attitude (Lindeman 1978). Discussions with turned-off nurses have led to discovery of at least two teaching strategies that have been very effective in turning them off: the "cookbooking" strategy and the "losing the forest" strategy. The cookbooking strategy, in which one learns to do research by following the recipe, results in encouraging the student not to question. "I'm not sure why; this is what I was taught. I simply follow the steps." This approach to the research process is antithetical to the whole concept of searching and researching. Understanding and teaching the research Downloaded from wjn.sagepub.com at Purdue University on June 5, 2016
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process not as a series of absolute steps, but rather as a choice of modes that may be kaleidoscoped in a variety of patterns, may help reduce the number of turned-off students. Another turn-off is caused by the "losing the forest" strategy. Students, sometimes with faculty assistance, become so focused on one small aspect of their study that the overall purpose is lost. Likewise students sometimes have their original interest or problem so sharply redefined or narrowly focused that they truly feel alienated ... from their interest and from research. The balance between rigor and meaning must be carefully maintained, especially in early research courses. We need to encourage students to explore many trees and roam through the entire forest of research, rather than forcing upon them a preoccupation with our own favorite tree (theory, problem, method, analysis technique, etc.). Strategies for turning-on, then, have already been alluded to. Students of every level and age can get excited by the "forest," or the real meaning of research; learning not only what others already know, but adding to knowledge through the discovery and sharing of new facts is a high motivator. Improved patient care, improved working conditions, improved teaching methods (even in research courses) can be the outcomes. False hopes? False promises? I think not. Belief in the research process is a value and an attitude, and attitudes can be transmitted through the socialization process. Let's share some of our own teaching strategies for achieving these goals in the coming issues.
REFERENCES Lindeman, Carol 1978 Nursing Research. Paper presented at workshop at Montana State University School of Nursing, March 16-17, 1978. See, Elizabeth 1977 The ANA and Research in Nursing. Nursing Research 26:165-171.
Downloaded from wjn.sagepub.com at Purdue University on June 5, 2016
