Teaching Scholars Summary
Derryl Block, PhD, MPH, APRN,BC
August 23, 2006
The Professional Program in Nursing is for registered nurses with associate degrees or
diplomas in nursing who study toward their BSN degree. A capstone course, 451
Synthesis for Nursing Practice, is taken in students’ last semester before graduation from
the Professional Program in Nursing. The course is supposed to help students to
synthesize their learning in general education (Humanities I, II, and III, Fine Arts, World
Culture, and Ethnic Studies) with nursing support courses (Expository Writing, Critical
Thinking elective, Critical Thinking Statistics, and two electives that support their
nursing interventions or career) and with upper level nursing courses (Health Assessment,
Theoretical Foundations in Nursing, Nursing Research, Leadership and Management,
Community Health Nursing Theory, Community Health Nursing Practicum, and two
Nursing Electives). The course has evolved into an issues course. While students
evaluated the course positively, faculty were concerned that the course does not help
students synthesize learning. Impending change of wording of our program objectives
and a faculty member being accepted into the Teaching Scholars Program led to a
wonderful opportunity to revise this course.
Question(s)/Goals
The initial goal was to explore teaching/learning methodologies to help students
synthesize previous learning as well as to determine evaluation methodologies for that
synthesis. This goal was addressed during the project.
Methods Used
Discussion with representatives of other UW-Green Bay units, professor emeritus,
and other nursing programs that have capstone courses and/or courses that have aim
of ‘synthesis’
Discussion with Nursing Faculty whether ‘synthesis’ is still the aim
Change of course objectives to be future program objectives (that will begin in 2006-
2007)
Investigation of concept of “synthesis” in teaching-learning and other fields
Synthesis considered a combining of disparate elements to form a complex and
coherent whole.
Discussion with Teaching Scholar group and Nursing Faculty group
Synthesis of program objectives into two main areas
o Professionalization
o Holistic care
Development of exercises, scenarios, and assignments that facilitate synthesis of
learning from all nursing and non-nursing courses.
o Emphasis on case based learning
o Inclusion of synthesis of general education learning
o Inclusion of student development of models
Planning of evaluation of major paper as to extent to which main areas were
addressed
o Professionalization
o Holistic care
Planning of course revision
Approval of nursing faculty
AAC approval (fall 2006)
Online course revision (fall 2006)