Home

Choose an existing Nursing Program (Academic or Professional Development) and briefly describe it. List the Program Learning Outcomes for the entire program. Develop a new course or module to add to the program. Construct a 1-2 page course definition for the new course to add to this program that includes the length, purpose, audience, credit, location, and rationale for adding the course. Develop course learning objectives for this new addition. Complete a table that links the course objectives to the program outcomes, and include examples of assessments for the course. Link the course objectives to any external standards or regulatory guidelines related to the justification of the course.
Introduction
Assessing and evaluating program effectiveness requires you to understand the entire alignment of a course, from the way it is presented to potential learners to the final analysis of aggregated data.
While there are many similarities in the development of curricula for Academic versus Professional Development, there are also many differences.
In Academia, the curriculum is guided by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and either the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) accreditation, or the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials. As part of the accreditation process, the guidelines are clearly stated and the connection between the curriculum and standards is easy to process according to the level of the program.
In Professional Development, there are several different processes although the concepts are the same. Professional Development courses and curricula fall under the categories of Orientation (including Nurse Residency Programs or Preceptor Development), Competency Management and Inservice (to assess skill competencies and the use of new equipment), and Continuing Education (or Professional Development Credits). Regulatory and Accreditation standards must be met, with some examples being The Joint Commission, State Board of Nursing, Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN), and State and National laws.
In both Professional Development and Academia, the three domains of learning must be addressed in the curriculum assessment and evaluation (Cognitive, Psychomotor, and Affective). While each assessment may not involve all three domains, it is important they are addressed elsewhere in the course.
Whenever you begin the process of designing a course, it is important to begin with the end in mind. Assessment and evaluation strategies are key elements of the design process.
How will the course fit in with a larger organizational outcome or continuing educational requirement?
What do you want your learners to know or do after they have completed the course?
How will you determine whether your learners have met your learning objectives?
Program outcomes and learning objectives create a framework to help you determine the learning activities and the types of assessment that will best tell you whether your objective has been met.
Preparation
As you prepare to complete this assessment, you may want to think about other related issues to deepen your understanding or broaden your viewpoint. You are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community. Note that these questions are for your own development and exploration and do not need to be completed or submitted as part of your assessment.
What is the difference between assessment and evaluation?
What are the differences between formative and summative evaluations?
How would you address each of the following domains, when designing assessments and evaluations of learner skills and knowledge?
Cognitive.
Psychomotor.
Affective.
To learn more about APA style and formatting, and to view a sample paper in APA format, go to the Capella Writing Center’s Evidence and APA page.
Scenario
Imagine that you are a nurse educator in a local organization. You have been asked to create a new course for your nurse education program. You have been given latitude to select both the topic and the learner population. The organization can be a college or university, or a hospital or clinic.
Your supervisor would like you to create a course definition document that includes the following elements:
A course title and course description (including length, credit, didactic, lab, clinical).
The student learning objectives for the course.
The related program description and program outcomes.
Alignment of the assessment plans with the appropriate domains of learning.
Describe the assessment plan and the alignment of the external standards or regulatory guidelines that pertain to the course offering or course objectives. The assessment and evaluation of the course should demonstrate that course learning objectives and program outcomes are met. The external national nursing standards will demonstrate that the course is evidence-based.
This year, the department is asking all nurse educators to map new courses to assessment strategies and learning domains.
In addition, leadership has recognized the importance of evidence-based practice and standards of care. To that end, at least one external national nursing standard should be aligned with the objectives for your assessment (can be AACN Essentials, QSEN competencies, or Standards from the appropriate specialty organization).
Course Definition and Alignment Table
Identify a specific health care issue, setting, and learner audience.
Start by giving your organization a brief summary of the following:
A description of the program offering (including the educational setting).
The program outcomes.
Next, your course definition should consist of the following:
Course description, vision, and rationale.
The course learning objectives.
The evaluation and assessment strategies, including examples of assessment and evaluation tasks.
Use a table to show the alignment of assessment and evaluation strategies. Include the following in your table:
Alignment of learning objectives to program outcomes.
Alignment of learning objectives to assessment strategies and domains of learning.
Alignment of program outcomes to external standards.
You may (but are not required to) use the Course Definition and Alignment Table Template [DOCX] Download Course Definition and Alignment Table Template [DOCX]. You are also welcome to review the Sample Course Definition and Alignment Table [PDF] Download Sample Course Definition and Alignment Table [PDF]to see an example of a completed template.
Additional Requirements
Follow the formatting and style guidelines in Evidence and APA. In addition, your assessment should meet the following requirements:
APA format: Use correct APA style and formatting for the rationale, paying particular attention to citations and references.
References: Include at least three peer-reviewed scholarly resources from the last 5 years.
Length:
Course definition: 1–3 pages (not including cover page and reference list).
Alignment table: No page limit.
Font and font size: Any approved APA fonts, 12 point.
Compile your course definition and alignment table into one document before submitting. We highly recommend saving your document in Landscape, rather than Portrait, so your tables fit properly.
Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:
Competency 1: Apply principles of assessment and evaluation for use in nursing education programs.
Construct a course description that clearly supports the educational program outcomes.
Align course learning objectives to existing program outcomes.
Describe assessment and evaluation strategies used in a nursing education course, including the appropriate domains of learning.
Competency 4: Evaluate the achievement of learning outcomes.
Align appropriate professional standards and/or regulations to learning objectives in a nursing education course.
Competency 6: Communicate as a practitioner-scholar, consistent with the expectations for a health care professional.
Convey purpose of the assessment in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence using APA style citations and references, and adhering to organizational, professional, and scholarly communication standards.