Nursing (NURS) 623
Clinical Teaching and Learning

Delivery Mode: Paced/home-study online
Credits: 3
Area of Study: Applied Studies
Prerequisite: For MHS Students: MHST 601
For MN-Gen Students: NURS 608
Introduction
This course is designed for education and service practitioners in the health care field who are interested in increasing their knowledge and skills as they relate to teaching and learning in the clinical setting. Course topics will include models of teaching and learning, the clinical learning environment, planning learning experiences, evaluation of learning, and professional socialization. The theoretical perspectives that guide the course are drawn from research related to how knowledge is constructed, what factors promote and sustain student motivation and what issues instructors need to acknowledge within the social context of clinical teaching and learning. The nature of the instructional approach will be participant centered, emphasize a humanist educational philosophy and highlight constructivist and facilitative teaching strategies.
Course Goals
MHST/NURS 623 is designed to:
- critically examine clinical teaching and learning in one's practice environment;
- reflect upon one's own teaching and learning strategies;
- gain an understanding of clinical teaching and learning in other health care disciplines; and
- promote interdisciplinary networking among clinical teachers.
Course Materials
MHST/NURS 623 comprises online materials.
Textbooks
Melrose, S., Park, C. & Perry, B. (2020). Centring human connections in the education of health professionals. Athabasca, AB, Canada: AU Press. Available at https://www.aupress.ca/books/120289-centring-human-connections-in-the-education-of-health-professionals/
Melrose, S., Park, C. & Perry, B. (2015). Creative clinical teaching in the health professions. Available at http://epub-fhd.athabascau.ca/clinical-teaching/
Melrose, S., Park, C. & Perry, B. (2013). Teaching health professionals online: Frameworks and strategies. Athabasca, AB, Canada: AU Press. Available at http://www.aupress.ca/index.php/books/120234
Online Resources
Online readings are suggested in the course and students will be asked to locate additional online resources that will assist them in achieving the course objectives. An online study guide is provided.
Technical Requirements
Computer System
In order to successfully complete this course, you must own or have ready access to certain computer hardware and software programs. For complete and up-to-date information on the minimum computer requirements required to complete the graduate nursing courses, visit the Centre for Nursing and Health Studies technical site.
Course Outline
MHST/NURS 623 comprises the following five units:
- Unit 1: Models of Teaching and Learning
- Unit 2: The Clinical Learning Environment
- Unit 3: Planning Learning Experiences
- Unit 4: Evaluation of Learning
- Unit 5: Professional Socialization
Assessment Structure
In the MHS and MN:Gen programs, students must achieve an overall program GPA of 2.7 ( B- or 70 percent), to graduate. The minimum passing grade requirement for each MHS and MN:Gen course is C- (60 percent).
The following course activities will contribute to your course grade, with the percentage weighting of each activity as follows:
Assignment 1: Paper: Philosophy of Teaching and Learning | 10% |
Assignment 2: Literature Review: Clinical Teaching Approaches | 35% |
Assignment 3: Create a Teaching Guide | 35% |
Assignment 4: Self Evaluations | 20% |
Total | 100% |
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.
View previous syllabus