PhD by Published Works
Doctor of Philosophy
| Level | Doctor of Philosophy |
|---|---|
| Student | Dr Melanie Stephens |
| Status | Complete |
| Part Time | No |
| Years | 2018 - 2019 |
| Project Title | Affective domain development of undergraduate nursing students: Defining, developing and measuring the impact of transformational learning activities. |
| Project Description | Aim: Educational activities that develop the affective domain of nursing students and how this is measured was lacking and a call to address this was required. Background: A lack of compassion in nursing has been acknowledged as having an impact on the delivery of quality care. To address this deficit Higher Education Institutions were tasked with refocusing education on caring. The effect of activities such as international placements, interprofessional education and simulation were examined exclusively by educational researchers on students’ values and beliefs. However, what was not clear was what teaching activities works for whom, when, and in what circumstances. Method: This programme of eight published works used qualitative approaches including a metaethnography, an action research and grounded theory, to assess which activity had the greatest impact on affective domain development and the degree of modification in the nursing students involved. Findings: In the advancement of new knowledge the findings provide: a new definition of the affective domain and the key educational activities that rouse the affective domain; the first international study to highlight a new perspective on the value of qualitative frameworks to aid assessment of modification of values, attitudes, beliefs, emotions, motivations, morals and social skills of nursing students; and a theoretical framework to operationalise affective domain development. Conclusion: Answering the questions, what works for whom, when and in what circumstances, the generation of the Theoretical Framework for Affective Domain Development, represents a significant contribution to the field of nurse education. |
| Awarding Institution | The University of Salford |
| Director of Studies | Paula Ormandy |
| Second Supervisor | Suryia Nayak |