Based on the Educational Philosophies Self-Assessment tool (Cohen, 1999), my scores strongly align with the Progressive Philosophies (Progressivism & Reconstructionism), with a psychological orientation emphasizing Cognitivism/Constructivism and Humanism.
Progressive Philosophy Orientation
My high scores in the Progressive Philosophies section reveal my view of nursing education as a student-centered process focused on experiential learning and real-world application. This view aligns with Dewey's progressive educational theory, which stresses learning through experience and reflection (Yoders, 2014).
As a progressive nurse educator, I prioritize clinical experiences that address real patient care scenarios over theoretical abstractions, function as a facilitator of learning rather than merely transmitting information, encourage my students to develop their own nursing values and ethical frameworks alongside professional standards, value interdisciplinary approaches to patient care and education, and involve my students in their learning process through collaborative decision-making.
This progressive orientation is particularly valuable in nursing education, as it prepares students for the complex, evolving healthcare environment. According to Scheckel (2016), progressive ideas are evident in nursing education when faculty members use student-centered approaches that build on students' experiences and engage them in solving real clinical problems.
Psychological Orientation: Cognitivism/Constructivism
My strong alignment with Cognitivism/Constructivism reveals that I believe that nursing students actively construct knowledge rather than passively receive it. According to Brandon and All (2010), constructivist approaches in nursing education help students develop critical thinking skills essential for complex clinical decision-making.
As a constructivist nurse educator, I create learning environments where students construct their understanding of nursing concepts through active learning experiences, value cognitive conflict as a trigger for deeper learning, provide scaffolding based on students' developmental levels while gradually withdrawing support as they gain competence, emphasize reflection on clinical experiences to develop clinical reasoning, and help students modify their existing knowledge structures to incorporate new information.
Staykova et al. (2017) highlight that constructivism-based teaching strategies support active learning and encourage nursing students to build their knowledge rather than memorize facts, which aligns strongly with my pedagogical orientation.
Psychological Orientation: Humanism
My scores also indicate a strong humanistic orientation, suggesting that I value nursing students' holistic development. Rogers' humanistic theory emphasizes personal growth, self-direction, and the inherent human learning capacity (McAllister, 2011).
As a humanistic nurse educator, I create nurturing learning environments that support students' emotional and professional growth, emphasize student autonomy and responsibility in the learning process, value the development of the "whole nurse," including emotional intelligence and self-awareness, believe in students' natural tendencies toward self-actualization and learning, and focus on building positive relationships with students to facilitate their education.
McAllister (2011) argues that humanistic approaches in nursing education help students develop the compassion and caring central to nursing, which complements my educational philosophy.
Implications for My Practice as a Nurse Educator:
My progressive, constructivist, and humanistic orientation significantly impacts my clinical teaching practice. This combination creates a strong foundation for developing reflective, critical-thinking nurses who can navigate complex healthcare environments while maintaining compassion and patient-centeredness.
Moreover, according to Oermann et al. (2023), nurse educators with progressive-constructivist orientations are particularly effective at helping students bridge theory-practice gaps through experiential learning methods like simulation, problem-based learning, and reflective practice.
My nursing educational philosophy and psychological orientation focus on the following:
- Authentic Clinical Experiences: Creating meaningful learning opportunities that reflect real-world nursing challenges.
- Reflective Practice: Encouraging students to reflect on their experiences to develop clinical reasoning.
- Collaborative Learning: Fostering peer-to-peer learning and interprofessional education.
- Individualized Guidance: Adapting teaching approaches to meet individual student needs.
- Formative Feedback: Providing ongoing, constructive feedback that promotes growth rather than just evaluation.
References
Brandon, A. F., & All, A. C. (2010). Constructivism theory analysis and application to curricula. Nursing Education Perspectives, 31(2), 89-92.
Cohen, L. (1999). Educational philosophies self-assessment. https://evaeducation.weebly.com/uploads/1/9/6/9/19692577/self_assessment.pdf
McAllister, M. (2011). STAR: A transformative learning framework for nurse educators. Journal of Transformative Education, 9(1), 42-58. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541344611426010
Oermann, M. H., Shellenbarger, T., & Gaberson, K. B. (2023). Clinical teaching strategies in nursing (7th ed.). Springer Publishing Company.
Scheckel, M. (2016). Nursing education: Past, present, future. In G. Sherwood & J. Barnsteiner (Eds.), Quality and safety in nursing: A competency approach to improving outcomes (2nd ed., pp. 27-50). Wiley-Blackwell.
Staykova, M. P., Stewart, D. V., & Staykov, D. I. (2017). Back to the basics and beyond: Comparing traditional and innovative strategies for teaching in nursing skills laboratories. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 12(2), 95-102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teln.2016.12.001
Yoders, S. (2014). Constructivism theory and use from a 21st-century perspective. Journal of Applied Learning Technology, 4(3), 12-20.