A Review of International Nursing-related Vocational and Educational Training on the issue of integrated teaching

• Background: The review focus was to systematize, describe and critically analyze previous international research on school-based integrated teaching for vocational knowing in nursing-related education in upper secondary and higher-level education. The review questions were: a) What kind of integration was conducted within a school context in nursing-related education? b) What in terms of vocational knowing was highlighted as a result in the studies through integrated teaching? c) What was the relation between study aim and analytical method for the vocational knowing that was highlighted?Summary of Work: Searches were conducted in two databases, EbscoHost, and ProQuest Social Sciences. Search terms ‘integrated teaching’, ‘vocational knowing’ and ‘nursing’, retrieved from the databases, were combined with “AND”. Search area was expanded by terms ‘education’, ‘curriculum’, ‘vocational’, and specified with ‘thematical integration’. Delimitations comprised admitted approaches of integration (Case Method, Problem-based Learning), and were set to scholarly, peer-reviewed articles. The first sorting comprised assessment of abstracts, while the second sorting comprised whole articles. Reference-lists of included studies were assessed for inclusion. Altogether, 14 studies were included and assessed for quality and coherence with Grade CerQual.Summary of Results:The results showed three types of integrated teaching, integration through embeddedness or streaks, problem-based learning, and between school and workplace; vocational knowing related to a professional and academic context; and there was a methodological significance for the type of vocational knowing highlighted in the studies.Discussion and Conclusions: Integrated teaching with professional connection was stressed as significant for vocational knowing, because of authenticity and meaningfulness. Vocational knowing of academic character required a professional contextualization for meaningfulness. The primary studies highlighted quantitative methodology as quality measure and by passed epistemological (constructivism and positivism) aspects. A quantitative method of approach was shown as the quality measure in primary studies. The notion of quality requires expansion with more qualitative studies, that focus on minor student groups and specific didactic situations for an in-depth understanding of integrated teaching and vocational knowing in nursing.Take-home Messages: Integrated teaching is an admitted didactical approach but highly significant for vocational knowing.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences (hsv//eng)

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