Book Review
Teaching in Nursing: A guide for faculty
DM Billings & JA Halstead
1998; WB Saunders, Philadelphia;
Linda Worrall-Carter
Senior Research Fellow, Deakin University; Box Hill Hospital, Burwood VIC
This is a very useful book for both novice academic staff as well as more experienced nurse academics who may require information about teaching practices. The book is easy to read, and has a good balance of practical and theoretical information. It is also a good resource as chapters are easily selected.
The book is divided into five section, each addressing a different aspect of teaching. The first section relates to faculty and students. Chapter one is devoted to the role of academics and acknowledges that although nurses are having to engage in a myriad of roles, teaching is often their core responsibility. Topics such as the learning needs of students, legal/ethical issues (appeal processes, assisting with failing students), and teaching students with special needs (such as learning disabilities and mental health problems) are addressed in this section.
Section II examines curricula and begins with a good overview of curriculum development. Specific issues are addressed (the social context) which influence the development of curricula and for this reason this chapter is specific to what is occurring in the U.S. The next chapter is particularly useful for those wanting an introduction to curriculum development as it discusses the philosophical frameworks which can be considered when developing mission and vision statements. Another couple of chapters are devoted to issues surrounding curriculum development such as outcomes and competencies, which are certainly relevant to Australia at the present time. One chapter which does not sit quite so well in this section is on service (experiential) learning and would have been better included in the next section (III).
Teaching and learning is the focus of section III. It begins with addressing the theoretical foundations of the teaching-learning process and identifies learning theorists. This is a particularly large chapter-as some of them are quite brief in comparison. Next is a chapter of critical thinking and strategies are explored to promote this in the classroom. I found this particularly useful as it systematically addresses all teaching practices and how each method can facilitate critical thinking or impede active learning.
Finally, this section has a brief chapter on clinical teaching, but given that it is quite an important role for some nurse academics, I wonder if a separate section should have dealt with some the more complex issues surrounding this topic.
A shorter section (IV) has three chapters on learning resources such as the use of the nursing laboratory (Learning Resource Centre), and how the use of virtual reality, interactive videos, simulations and role play can 'link theory to clinical practice' and enhance skill performance. There is also a useful chapter on the use of multimedia and computer-mediated learning, and the use of distance education as a mode of delivery.
Finally, section V explores a very important process-that of evaluation. It includes strategies which can be used to evaluate learning outcomes, and specific tests or tools which can be used in the classroom and in the clinical field, ending with program evaluation. One major aspect which seems to have been overlooked in this section relates to the increasing pressure on many nurse academics to 'teach smart' and to be accountable by documenting and evaluating their teaching practices. Other ways of evaluating teaching could have been discussed such as through peer review and the development of teaching portfolios.
Aside from these minor oversights (and given that it is often impossible to include everything in a book of this nature), the authors have compiled a book which is well written and covers many aspects of teaching for academic staff. It will be extremely useful to nurse academics in Australia.
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