Higher Education Diploma Research Articles

Learning by reflection: the effect on educational outcomes.

Learning by experience involves being able to reflect on a personal happening and through a process of analysis, come to understand it. Such an activity should result in 'deep learning' when carried out in a structured way. Higher education establishments are keen to develop such learning methods in students, as a secondary effect of this form of learning is to create student independence from the teacher. This is a much sought after ability as recent government changes have meant higher student numbers without a corresponding rise in teacher numbers. This threatens the quality of student knowledge unless it is compensated for in some way. This study sets out to examine the learning of two student groups. The experimental design was that of group comparison using matched pairs of students. One group, the experimental group, were exposed to reflective teaching methods, whilst the other group (the control group) were exposed to conventional teaching methods only. At the end of a set period of time, the learning achieved in both groups was estimated using an especially designed test paper. The results obtained from both groups were compared and it was found that there was no significant difference obtained in the learning between the groups (P>5%) Therefore, we concluded that students learnt just as well using reflective methods when compared to the conventional methods of learning. However, the potential for enhancement of learning was evident and invites further investigation. All the students in this study were on the Diploma in Higher Education (Nursing) course. The subject area used throughout the study was in the biological sciences.

The process of poster presentation: a valuable learning experience

Creating and presenting posters requires students to develop and use the vital skills of enquiry, critical analysis, and dissemination of findings. Poster presentation would appear to have potential as a learning strategy and as a method of assessment. This paper describes the formative use of poster presentation in a Diploma of Higher Education: Nursing Studies programme. The authors then discuss their experience of developing poster presentation as a summative assessment for a post-registration Bachelor of Nursing module and its evaluation by the students. At this early developmental stage poster presentation has proved to be as successful an assessment strategy as the traditional essay and students report poster creation and presentation to be a novel and engaging experience. Teacher experience shows that despite the intensity of the assessment procedure, observing the emergence of analytical debate and creative achievements of students is an exhilarating and worthwhile experience.

Prospective Teachers' Conceptions About, And Approaches To Learning Mathematics

ABSTRACTThis preliminary study investigated, pre-service teachers' conceptions of mathematics as well as their approaches to learning the subject. Thirty one, second year students reading for the College Higher Education Diploma responded to the administered instrument. Results indicated that the majority of the students preferred learning mathematics by doing lots of examples in order to reproduce them, that is, a learning strategy known as the surface approach.

A survey ofcommunity placements for educational programmes in nursing and midwife

In this paper preliminary findings from the first stage of an English National Board (ENB) commissioned study investigating the educational needs of community practitioners in relation to their responsibilities for student learning are presented. A national postal survey of all educational centres offering nurse and/or midwifery education was undertaken in the latter half of 1993. Information was collected regarding the nature and planning of the community practice components of courses. The main methods of support for practitioners included the provision of the ENB 998/997 courses and liaison meetings between educational centres and community practice areas. Practitioners were often required to both supervise and assess students on practice placements, the length of these placements varying enormously. For those centres offering the mental health and learning disability branches of the Diploma in Higher Education in Nursing Studies (Project 2000), a significant proportion lacked teachers with specialist community qualifications. The investigation took place at a time of great upheaval, with 42% of centres reporting that they were in the process of amalgamation. The findings demonstrate that community nurses and midwives undoubtedly contribute to the education of nurse and midwife students and consequently have educational needs which must be addressed if they are to continue to supervise students.

PNs: Facilitators of Learning?

This study considered the feasibility of practice nurses supervising Diploma of Higher Education (Nursing) students for a short practice placement. Ten practice nurses facilitated a 10 day placement at the commencement of the Branch Programme. The results of this placement were compared to that of a control group of ten students who were facilitated by health visitors, the usual practice placement at this time. Information was gathered from both facilitators and students prior to and upon completion of the placement through interview and questionnaire. It was found that students facilitated by practice nurses consistently move further forward in their learning outcomes and competency than students facilitated by health visitors. The study demonstrated that practice nurses are a valuable resource for educating students which has to date not been appropriately utilised

Midwifery education: Part 9 Wales

In Wales, Schools/Departments of Nursing and Midwifery Education have been fully integrated into higher education since Spring 1996. Pre-registration midwifery preparation is currently provided by four institutions, namely University of Wales Bangor, University of Wales Swansea, University of Wales College of Medicine and the ‘new’ University of Glamorgan. The midwifery teaching departments in the latter two share provision of a common course. All midwifery preparation courses in Wales are provided at diploma level, with successful students being awarded a joint Welsh National Board (WNB)AJniversity of Wales Higher Education Diploma in Midwifery.

Learning through reflection in the community: the relevance of Schon's theories of coaching to nursing education

In 1992, as part of a study funded by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, the author conducted 26 interviews, 12 with students on the newly-introduced Diploma in Higher Education for Nurses, and 14 with District Nursing Sisters who supervised them during their community placements. The approach to the work was interpretive and was guided by phenomenology. It was discovered that one of the most valuable contributions of their ‘community experience’ was the opportunities it gave the students to ‘think through’ and develop their own ideas about their practice. The author's interpretation of these findings was influenced by Donald Schon's ideas about reflective practice and coaching. His theory that professional practice is based on ‘knowing-in-action’ and ‘theories-in-use’ which are formulated and modified through a process of ‘reflection-in-action’ seemed to have direct relevance for the learning acquired by students. The help and guidance given to students by their supervisors bore some resemblance to the types of coaching advocated by Schon, to which he gave the names ‘Joint Experimentation’, ‘Follow Me’ and ‘Hall of Mirrors’. The interpretation placed on the data discussed here also, however, differs from Schon's theories in advocating that more attention should be given to the academic theory referred to by him as ‘technical rationality’.

The demand for higher education in Cyprus: an educational policy perspective

The article examines the reasons for the high demand for higher education in Cyprus. At present, economic, societal, and cultural forces are widely accepted as responsible for the phenomenal increase in demand. A survey of secondary school final form students conducted in Cyprus by the author reconfirms the importance of these forces but also points to another demand influencing factor, namely, the students' psychological motivation in the pursuit of higher studies. The article discusses the policy implications of the findings and suggests the following as measures to help promote a better match between higher education choices and labour market conditions: the provision of greater and more accurate information to secondary school students on the employment opportunities available with a higher education diploma; the promotion of vocational nonuniversity fields of study among secondary school students; and the frequent and closer interaction between higher education institutions and the labour market.

Using student, teacher and practice supervisor feedback to improve the quality of nurse education: how should we collect it and what should we do with it?

Many colleges and universities are committed to gathering feedback as a means of improving course quality. Typically student's views are sought and few institutions seek systematic feedback from both students and members of staff. We report on a pilot study employing student, teacher and practice supervisor feedback on a pre-registration, Diploma in Higher Education (Nursing) course. The paper discusses how we collected the feedback and how the gathered information will influence future planning and decision making.

The immorality of pre-registration nurse education: a personal perspective.

Since the introduction of the new nursing curriculum in the United Kingdom, nurse education has undergone a series of fundamental changes, including the introduction of student status, closer links (and in many cases full integration) with higher education, and, for the majority of preregistration courses, the award of a higher education diploma. It is this author's opinion that, given the duration, nature and location of such courses, the award of a diploma amounts to a grave injustice and is representative of a situation that is immoral and corrupt. This opinion is presented from the perspective of educational awards as goods or rewards to be distributed fairly, in recognition of the efforts and abilities of students.

Stress among student nurses: is it practical or academic?

Previous research into stress among student nurses has only concentrated on the practical aspects of nursing and has ignored stress caused by the academic side of training. In comparing Registered General Nurse (RGN) and Diploma of Higher Education in Nursing (Dip. HE Nursing) students using a modified nurses stress scale, the intensity of stress was investigated. It was hypothesized that there would be a difference in the total stress scores between the two pre-registration education courses as well as within the practical and academic elements. Dip. HE Nursing students were significantly more stressed than RGN students, but equally for practical and academic elements. RGN students were significantly more stressed on the practical elements. Factors analysis clearly identified two factors: (i) the practical elements, and (ii) the academic elements of nursing. A third factor was also identified and this was related to stress induced by issues concerning death and suffering in the patient. These results have implications for the development of the nurse education course (Dip. HE Nursing) which is still in its infancy.

The phenomenon of death: a study of Diploma in Higher Education nursing students' reality

This study investigates Diploma in Higher Education nursing students' perceptions and experiences of the phenomenon of death. The sample size was eight students drawn from the adult branch. A phenomenological approach was used; data collection being via two focused group interviews/discussions. Four themes were identified which appeared to form the basis of the students' reality: knowing, reality, relationships and culture. The results suggest that self-knowledge and theoretical knowledge are important in the formation of their reality. The need to develop relationships with patients was identified as an important aspect of caregiving. Relationships with staff who offered support and guidance was seen as desirable. This was sometimes compromised by conflicting philosophies, but the desire to implement holistic care was apparent. The students appeared able to reflect with insight, openness and objectivity. They also appeared to be developing the ability to take an active part in the development of their own conceptual notions and perceptions. They did not appear to be disillusioned or socialized into roles they did not feel were appropriate. The need to maintain the educational input and reflective ability for the students is recommended. Names given to students in this study are fictitious. The study refers to the students as Diploma in Higher Education nursing students. This is often referred to as Project 2000.

The Emergence of a Diversified System: The State/Private Predicament in Transforming Higher Education in Romania

The experience of Romanian higher education under communist rule, particularly during the years of the Ceausescu regime, was that of an extreme case of unaccountable political voluntarism and direct interventionism in all crucial aspects of its functioning. A particularly despotic regime, in replication of the Stalinist model of communism based on a triptych of 'one nation, one party, one leader', limited the role of intellectuals and artists to nothing but the glorification of the regime or the production of 'scholarly' justification for its policies. The design of this regime was to reduce institutions of higher education to mere centres for training a limited number of highly qualified workers. In social sciences, teaching was often diminished to indoctrination, and research to political or intellectual servility. This vision of higher education also virtually ruled out any possibility of it responding to individual demand. It should be pointed out that in all communist countries there was a high individual demand for higher education because the communist socioeconomic system, more than any other, did not allow for the accumulation of extensive private wealth or the inheritance of political power or privilege-even though there were attempts to circumvent these restrictions. In principle, every generation had to make its own way and, under such circumstances, a higher education diploma was a vehicle for upward social and/or economic mobility. Indeed, a university degree was often the only valuable 'good' which parents could offer their children. A side effect of this situation was that the system of admission became a tempting ground for individual political influences and corruption. As a consequence of the communist view of higher education as well as Romania's particularly dogmatic adherence to student numbers for manpower planning, the country had at the time a very elitist system of higher education, with one of the smallest numbers of students in Europe in relation to the size of the traditional higher education age cohort as well as the percentage of the total population. Evidently, one of the areas in which reform was earnestly sought in postcom-

Neuroticism and academic achievement: The furneaux factor

The investigation examined the relationship between neuroticism and academic achievement in a sample of 204 Independent Study students by following up a previous finding by McKenzie (1988a; Person. indiv. Diff. 9, 843–850) that although neuroticism correlated negatively with success on the Diploma of Higher Education (Dip. H.E.) programme it correlated positively with success on the third year B.A./B.Sc. (Hons.) Degree by Independent Study. These results supported Eysenck and Eysenck's contention that neuroticism only correlates positively with achievement in groups that have been highly selected. In testing for possible interactions, the investigation discarded Spielberger's (1962; Ment. Hyg. 46, 420–426) contention that neuroticism aids achievement only in highly intelligent students. An alternative hypothesis advanced by Furneaux (1980; Personality and Academic Performance, SRHE Guildford), that neuroticism correlates positively with achievement only in students who have been selected on some coping factor associated with traits such as Cattell's superego strength or independence (Saville, 1978; a critical analysis of Cattell's model of personality, Brunel University) was supported, positive correlations being found between neuroticism and degree result forstudents in the high superego group. The presence of the neuroticism-superego interaction or Furneaux Factor was much more marked when allowance for the effects of dissimulation was made, the correlations between neuroticism and degree result being significant at the 0.05 level and beyond. The results were replicated across sexes. An internal validation showed that the Furneaux Factor was present in each of the 1981, 1982 and 1983 intakes, positive correlations neuroticism and degree result being reported for the high superego group in all intakes. An external validation supported the hypothesis that the Furneaux Factor would be less apparent in students following a less academically demanding course. It was suggested that the Furneaux Factor has significant implications for learning theory in general and for student selection and counselling in particular. In addition it may be able to provide an objective assessment of the academic rigour of programmes of higher education.

Careers:

Middlesex Polytechnic is the first polytechnic in the country to extend its normal academic year programme into the summer. Offering extensive academic work leading to degree credit in a range of subjects, the courses are open to those who just want a taste of higher education as well as to current students who want to gain extra credit. The five‐week summer school which runs from 25 July to 26 August is an extension of the prestigious Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE), the largest course of its kind in the country. The summer school offers intensive academic work in the performing arts, literature, history, languages, social science or information technology. Course fees range from £50 to £130 for the full five weeks of tuition. Accommodation is available in halls on the Polytechnic's country park campus at Trent Park, North London, at £19.50 a week.

Women in higher education: A case study of the school for independent study and the issues for feminism

The School for Independent Study has pioneered educational innovations in its Diploma of Higher Education and Degree by Independent Study. These allow students to design their own objectives and appropriate course material and methods. Drawing upon data from questionnaires and tapes of group work, this paper reports on the educational experiences of women students. It suggests that even very democratic courses can discriminate against women as much as traditional courses. It suggests that feminists will need to do more than simply argue against competitive assessment and hierarchical methods and for consciousness raising groups. Pedagogic relations will need to be seen as much more of a problematic for women students.

Employers' guide to the Dip HE

This year, for the first time, a few employers will receive job applications from candidates offering a Diploma of Higher Education as evidence of their academic attainment. They will come from the handful of students who have completed pioneer courses started in 1974.

Master's in management

The design and launching of Master's degree programmes in management is a major task facing the polytechnics in Britain. Having existed for some six or seven years, they have achieved their initial objective of creating an appropriate range of first degree programmes, exhibiting the characteristics of career orientation, multi‐disciplinary structures, innovative learning methods and relevant assessment systems. The replacement of External London University Degree courses by Council for National Academic Award programmes has accompanied the conversion of the large colleges of technologies of the nineteen sixties into the polytechnics of the nineteen seventies. Many problems still exist in the first degree range: the provision of part‐time study versions to offset overgearing to full time students, the development of course network approaches, and the integration of sub‐degree work within total programmes of which first degrees are currently the main focus—in that connection the evolution of the Diploma in Higher Education could be a key item.

The Diploma in Higher Education — where now?

Instinctive pragmatism, or planning by conviction rather than by coherence, is the hallmark of the government of education. We regularly devise new policies in a highly specific context (usually in the wake of a national report), and then negotiate their application in later circumstances in which many of the original suppositions, criteria and corollaries have been shed — either for educational or financial reasons, sometimes beyond our control. The Diploma in Higher Education is, in my view, in danger of following earlier casualties in this process; as we gradually change the educational criteria, and succumb to the recurrent financial crises which appear to follow all of our developmental White Papers with an inexorability which the Eumenides might have envied.

The case against the DipHE

The AUT is not opposed to two‐year qualifications as such. It appreciates that in appropriate ways they serve a useful function in further and higher education institutions outside the universities. However, it does not regard the proposed Diploma in Higher Education as at all the equivalent of a degree or a proper substitute for a degree education. The AUT therefore opposes its introduction to the universities and, equally, rejects the implication that, inside or outside the universities, it is a suitable alternative for a proportion of those future school‐leavers who might otherwise be given the opportunity to study for a degree.