Transforming the Nurse Educator: A Journey into Storytelling and Transformative Reflection

Abstract

Session presented on Saturday, April 9, 2016: Participants venture into a research-based transformative learning experience using storytelling and critical reflection to challenge assumptions, gather insights, and raise questions about teaching. New revelations embolden participants to bring insight to individual and collective processes of reflection, generate shared meanings, and advance teaching excellence. An immersive workshop encourages the participant to explore, examine, and consider assumptions around teaching and learning. Participants will engage through story telling and reflective pedagogy with other faculty to examine and evaluate teaching and learning assumptions. Ensuring success and satisfaction in the academic role is essential to prepare future educators and assist them in their professional development, as well as enrich the competencies of experienced educators. Additionally, positive experiences can lead to continuing commitment of faculty to the academic institution. Little nursing literature exists regarding developing educator competencies to support and guide continued growth and development in the educator role. Furthermore, little is known about what methods effectively socialize nurses into the role of educator, or facilitate ongoing role development along the career trajectory (Fairbrother, Rafferty, Woods, Tyler, & Howell, 2015; Kuiper, 2012). Other areas that lack attention in the literature are proven methods to develop educator competencies to optimize student learning outcomes (Felver et al., 2010). Discussion will explore opportunities for improved practice and areas to develop. Faculty competencies require a specialized pedagogical base that integrates the art and science of nursing practice with the teaching and learning process. Indeed, faculty need pedagogical approaches beyond traditional methods to facilitate student learning of new competencies, while creating an active and participatory educational environment aligned with the realities of today's nursing practice (Benner et al., 2010; Sherwood & Horton-Deutsch, 2014). No longer can past experience and education be used to meet present and future educational needs. Transforming learning is requisite to transformative practice which requires new ways of teaching (McComish & Parson, 2013).