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The University of Texas at Tyler College of Nursing

Nurs 5327 Nursing Education Curriculum Development
TEMPLATE: Critique of Course Description and Learning Outcomes:
Student: (Type In name ) LaTonya Ruiz
Instructions:
1. Download and analyze the assigned nursing course description.
2. Complete this template without changing it except to enter with your conclusions in
practical wording.
3. Use at least ONE NURS 5327 course reference to support of your information. This
can be from Dr. McVeys lecture, or a text (Oremann or others you may have) or
literature you find. Paraphrase text references directly from text chapters, citing chapter
authors, and go beyond lecture citations.
4. Save the entire template with your name in the title and submit in the Assignment link.
I. Nursing course specifications: (10%) (4-6 lines total)
See http://www.tccns.org/about.aspx Texas common Course Numbering System
Standard course numbering and title: NURS 3310, this denotes that it is a junior level
course and is worth 3 credit hours.
Course Credit: Appropriateness of format for credit distribution: Course credit was 75%
clearly defined under graded assignments and broken down into percentages. The one
part that I was not clear about was where or how the lab/clinical assignments were added
into the final grade. If you passed all of them, then you receive the 100%. Where does
this get added in?
Prerequisites (How clearly specified): The prerequisites of this course were not clearly
addressed. It does not mention whether it is for an ADN, BSN or MSN program. It does
not explain what other courses are required prior to taking this course. For instance,
anatomy & physiology could be listed as prerequisites.
II. Course Description: (20%) (4-6 lines EACH area separately)
My critique on how well the course meets these criteria for effective nursing program
elements to give reassurance to key stakeholders that the emphasis is on these
components.
1. Nursing emphasis (Level of nursing judgment. Stage and acuity of care from preventive to
critical. Care settings ): The course description utilizes a high level of nursing judgement as
demonstrated by, integrates health promotion, maintenance, restoration, and disease prevention
which encompasses a broad spectrum of health maintenance for patients. Nurses are
incorporating evidence-base findings into the health assessments that they perform. This involves
interventions ranging from health promotion to disease treatments for acutely ill hospitalized
patients.

2. Target population (Age or developmental stage. Health care status). The target population
incorporates those of the entire spectrum from young adult to old adult (18+).

3. Health challenges (Physical, Developmental, Sociocultural, Spiritual needs): All aspects

are involved during the health assessment of patients. For example, Oermann (2015)
describes that a junior level student learning outcome at this level would, analyze

Summer 2014 Adapted and Used with permission from J. McVey, PhD, RN

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evidence-based concepts into the nursing process and the delivery of therapeutic nursing
interventions for patients and families (276).
4. Learning experiences: (Lecture with testing. Other assignments): I would say that the
learning experiences in NURS 3310 assist in providing real life experiences for
students to learn from. This is demonstrated in the required completion of assignments
through performing assessments on peers, nursing home patients, and simulation
mannequins.
Reference in APA format: Oermann, M.H. (2015). Teaching in nursing and the role of the
educator: The complete guide to best practice in teaching, evaluation, and curriculum
development. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
III. Learning Outcomes: (30%) (4-6 lines each *area) My critique how well the
learning outcomes assure stakeholders that the emphasis is on these components.
1. Nursing emphasis (Level of nursing judgment. Stage and acuity of care from preventive to
critical. Care settings ): The learning outcomes incorporated into the curriculum involves
integrating, health promotion, maintenance, restoration, and disease prevention which
emphasizes various levels on nursing on the continuum of care.

2. Target population (Age or developmental stage. Health care status. The emphasis is on
development of nursing skills to perform a holistic health assessment of the patient across the life
span, which could involve ages 18+.

3. Health challenges (Physical, Developmental, Sociocultural, Spiritual needs): When

assessing a patient, the student will often be exposed to more than just physical needs.
Maslows hierarchy of needs reinforces that the physical/developmental needs would take
priority over the sociocultural and spiritual needs.
4. Learning Domains (Cognitive, Affective, Psychomotor): Levels of physical,
cognitive and social functioning are analyzed and interpreted.
Reference in APA format:
IV. Teaching/ Learning Strategies and Assignments (20%) (5-6 lines each area)
Congruency of strategies and assignments with course description:
Congruency of strategies and assignments with course objectives: The strategies for
assignments and course objectives were congruent in that the curriculum, addresses
what students actually learn as opposed to the testing they have received (Hall, 2014,
345).

Summer 2014 Adapted and Used with permission from J. McVey, PhD, RN

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Reference in APA format: Hall, C. E. (2014). Toward a model of curriculum analysis and
evaluation- BEKA: A case study from Australia. Nurse Education Today 34 (3).
Doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2013.04.007
V. Grading Procedures: (20%) (2-4 lines each area)
Critique of Grading Criteria (Specificity and appropriateness)
1. Specific grade weights for assignments listed to total 100% and assigned grade
categories in decimal terms (ending in zero or 5 for easy calculation): I was not
completely clear on how the pass/fall assignments being added in to the final
grade.
2. Comparison of grade weighting between written tests and other graded
assignments: The explanation of the average of the test exams before the inclusion
of the other graded assignments was clear.
3. Critique of EQUALITY of Grading Scale categories A through F (comparison of
% points in each for grades A, B, C, and D): The equality of the grading scale
was straightforward.
4. Overall clarity, effectiveness, and fairness of grading Criteria:

Reference in APA format:

Summer 2014 Adapted and Used with permission from J. McVey, PhD, RN