Nursing students’ perception of and engagement with feedback provided in an undergraduate nursing programme

Date
2021-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Feedback in the context of higher education, and therefore also in health professions education, is defined as the process where information is given to students about their work and how they then utilise the provided information to acknowledge the appropriate standards for that work to improve the outcomes in performance (Boud & Molloy, 2013a). Feedback may, however, be affected by misunderstanding and, therefore, clear communication is necessary to ensure a clear understanding about the feedback provided (Boud & Molloy, 2013a). In addition, if students have a more positive perception about feedback provided by lecturers, they should be more inclined to utilise the feedback effectively, which could lead to improved results. Researchers have suggested that feedback must be a dialogic process where lecturers and students are involved in the discussion and construction of feedback (Nicol, 2009). Providing students with feedback that is timely and helpful has also been highlighted as an important area on which higher education institutions have to focus (Brown & Glover, 2006). Most students seem to regard feedback as an important aspect of learning (Boud & Molloy, 2013a). However, in some contexts students have reported feedback to be problematic and poor, despite lecturers perceiving their feedback as useful (Williams & Kane, 2009). This study seeks to explore nursing students’ perceptions of and engagement with feedback that they received in one module of their undergraduate nursing programme. In this qualitative study, situated in the interpretive paradigm, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis process adopted from the work of Braun and Clarke (2006). It was envisaged that the inferences that can be made from the findings of this study can improve feedback practices of nursing students entering the new undergraduate nursing diploma programme. Improved feedback practices can consequently contribute to enhanced student learning. Recommendations from the study can be used to enhance learning experiences for students entering the diploma programme and students that are currently in the programme.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Terugvoer in die hoër-onderwyskonteks, asook in gesondheidsberoepe-onderwys, word gedefinieer as die proses waarin terugvoer aan studente oor hulle werk gegee word en hoe hulle daardie terugvoer kan aanwend om erkende standaarde te herken sodat prestasie-uitkomste kan verbeter (Boud & Molloy, 2013a). Terugvoer kan egter deur misverstande beïnvloed word en daarom is deeglike kommunikasie noodsaaklik om die terugvoer sonder twyfel te verstaan (Boud & Molloy, 2013a). Hiermee saam sal studente meer gemotiveer wees om die terugvoer effektief te kan benut (wanneer hulle ʼn meer positiewe begrip daarvan het) wat tot beter resultate kan lei. Navorsers stel voor dat terugvoer ʼn dialogiese proses is, rondom die bespreking en konstruksie van terugvoer, waarby beide dosente en studente betrek word (Nicol, 2009). Tydige en bruikbare terugvoer is ook uitgelig as ʼn belangrike area waarop hoër-onderwys instansies moet fokus (Brown & Glover, 2006). Die meeste studente beskou terugvoer as ʼn belangrike deel van leer (Boud & Molloy, 2013a). Nietemin, in sommige gevalle rapporteer studente dat terugvoer problematies en swak is, ten spyte daarvan dat dosente hul terugvoer as bruikbaar beskou (Williams & Kane, 2009). Hierdie studie poog om verpleegkunde-studente (in ʼn voorgraadse verpleegkundeprogram) se persepsies van en betrokkenheid by terugvoer te ondersoek. In hierdie kwalitatiewe studie, gegrond op die interpretatiewe paradigma, is semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gevoer om data in te samel. ʼn Tematiese analise, gebaseer op die werk van Braun en Clarke (2006), is van die data gedoen. Daar word verwag dat afleidings wat gebaseer is op die studie se bevindinge, sal gebruik kan word om terugvoerpraktyke van voornemende verpleeg studente in die nuwe voorgraadse verpleegkundeprogram te verbeter. ʼn Verdere verwagting is dat beter terugvoerpraktyke aangewend sal kan word om waarde toe te voeg tot studente se leerervaring. Aanbevelings uit die studie kan gebruik word om huidige studente en studente wat die nuwe diplomaprogram betree se leerervarings te verryk.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
Keywords
Feedback (Psychology), Nursing students -- Attitudes, Nursing -- Study and teaching (Higher), UCTD
Citation