A comprehensive faculty development model for nursing education.

Professional nursing education has undergone profound legislative changes requiring a university baccalaureate in nursing as entry to practice as a registered nurse (RN) in Ontario, Canada. Subsequent partnerships between colleges and universities were mandated by the ministry of post secondary education in order to maximize existing resources, such as faculty, and capitalize on the strenghts of both sectors. Faculty, in partnered collaborative undergraduate nursing programs, are challenged by the ever-evolving transition in conceptualization, development, and delivery of nursing education; consequently, the design, dissemination, and evaluation of effective faculty development programs is of paramount importance (Steinert, 2000).

Evolving as nurse educators in problem-based learning through a community of faculty development.

Effective faculty development programs are of paramount importance in this era of profound change in nursing education driven by baccalaureate-degree entry to practice and the concurrent implementation of college/university collaborative partnerships in Ontario, Canada. The overall purpose of this study was to design, disseminate, and evaluate a faculty development program involving nursing faculty from the McMaster University, Mohawk College, and Conestoga College. In keeping with selected conceptual models and responses to a needs assessment, faculty participated in a collaborative faculty development program that included a planned workshop, a mentorship program, and regular faculty development activities.

A new perspective on competencies for self-directed learning.

In baccalaureate in nursing programs, self-directed methods of education have been used for many decades. A major goal of this type of approach to education is to provide students with the necessary competencies to become lifelong learners. Students must be exposed to self-directed learning competencies to obtain the knowledge, skills, and attributes unique to their personal and professional growth.