Situational Analysis 3d5u3t

ACTIVITY 4.2 EVALUATION OF THE CURRICULUM PROGRAM OF NURSING EDUCATION INSTITUTION Before a curriculum can be developed, a situational analysis should be conducted to investigate the curriculum determinants which are the main variables that influence decisions made during curriculum development. INFORMATION FOR CONDUCTING AN EVALUATION OF THE CURRICULUM PROGRAM OF THE NURSING EDUCATION INSTITUTION THE CURRICULUM DETERMINANTS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED DURING A SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS ARE: 1. THE COMMUNITY AS A CURRICULUM DETERMINANT This refers to values, issues, needs and demands within the community that is served by the curriculum- those that will be served by the graduates. 2. SUBJECT DISCIPLINE AS A CURRICULUM DETERMINANT Refers to analysis of the didactics demands that are placed on a curriculum, and an exploration of the subject discipline from which curriculum content will be selected. 3. THE LEARNER AS A CURRICULUM DETERMINANT Refers to the nature e.g education background, educational needs such as learning style and demands – political demands of learners. THERE ARE EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL FACTORS TO THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION TO BE INVESTIGATED DURING A SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS EXTERNAL FACTORS TO THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION External factors which need to be investigated during situational analysis includes the issues and trends related to- the community, the learner, and the subject discipline 1. COMMUNITY ISSUES 1.1 CONSTITUTIONAL ENVIROMENT 1.1.1 Social and politico-economic ideology: The following should be investigated  What are the main principles of the South African constitution which are relevant to health science education and health care delivery?  What are the implications of these main principles of the constitution o of the health and science education curriculum?

1.1.2 Authorities responsible for health science education.  Which ministry or ministries are responsible for health science education?  What type of education do the authorities prescribe, e.g. vocational training or liberal education?  Which guide lines relevant to health science education did the responsible authority establish?  What are the implications of the authorities and guidelines for the health sciences educational curriculum?

1.1.3 Educational structures  Which type of an institution is involved, e.g. college or university?  What types of programs are offered, e.g. diploma or degree?  Who are the consumers of the graduates of the educational institutions, e.g. private or public sector?  What are the implications of the above questions for the health science education curriculum?

1.1.4 Health Science Education Relations.  Which clinical institutions are d with the educational institution and which clinical learning opportunities do the offer?  Which community institutions are d with the educational institutions, and which clinical learning opportunities do the offer?  What are the collaboration arrangements between the educational and the d institutions?  What are the implications of the d clinical institutions and community institutions for the health science education?

1.1.5 Health Care Dilivery sctructure.     

How is the public health care system structured: What are the levels of health care delivery? Which health care professionals are employed at each level? Which services are rendered at each level? What is the level of technology at each level?

1.2 STATUTARY ENVIRONMENT (Relevant legislation and policies provide a statutory framework for education and health care delivery)

1.2.1 Educational legislation and policies  What are the stipulations of the national education act and policy on how should the curriculum respond to these stipulations?  What are the stipulations of the nursing act pertaining to the nursing and professional education policy, and how should the curriculum respond to these stipulations?

1.2.2 Health Care Legislation and policies.  What are the stipulations of the health act and national health policy and how should the curriculum respond to these stipulations?  How should you priorities the curriculum content in accordance with the minimum health care package, and which competencies are required to implement the minimum health care package.

1.2.3 Statutory Control  Which bodies regulate health science education in our country?  Which training regulation exist e.g. Rule 425, and what is the nature of macro curriculum which has been set at national level?  Which requirements must be met before the graduates can be ed as professional practitioners?

1.3 POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT (the political environment encomes the major political forces and people with influence in the community)  Which community interest groups exist and what are their views on health care delivery and the required competencies of health care professionals?  What are the views of the relevant interest groups on education in general and health science in particular?

1.4 ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT (the health science curriculum is influenced by the economic climate in the broader national and international context)  How is our country classified in economic , e.g. developing or developed?  What proportion of the population lives below the poverty line?  Which economic paradigm is followed-capitalist and socialist?

 How does the prevailing economic paradigm impact on the role and functions of health care professionals?  How does the prevailing economic paradigm impact on the delivery of health science delivery?  How does the developed “millennium development goals” impact on the role and functions of health care professionals?

1.4.1 Health Care Economics  What is the level of privatization of especially health care institutions and how does this impact on the role and functions of health care professionals?  How affordable is health care and which strategies have the government adopted to make it more affordable for the general population?  How is health sciences education financed and how does the economic constrains influence curriculum development?

1.4.2 Human Resources Issues  What is the state of Human resources for health provision in the country?  Are there any proposals to alleviate shortages of health care professionals through curriculum development?  What are the numbers and qualifications of mentors in the clinical field who guide the learners in the field while they achieve their clinical learning objectives?

1.5 TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT (sophisticated technological equipments and computers are increasingly being used in health care institutions resulting in the requirement that technological literacy be included in the curriculum)  Which initiatives exist to include technological studies in the curriculum and develop technological skills in the learners?  Which initiatives exist to utilize relevant technologies to deliver education in our country?  What are the implications of technological studies for health science education?

1.6 DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS Demographic trends give an indication of the nature of the population which is served by the graduates and the health care needs. Curriculum should reflect the

health priorities of the community which the institutions servers to enable graduates to effectively meet their health care needs.

1.6.1 Population Patterns  What are the population statistics in the country?  What are the populations dynamic in the country?  How the population statistics and dynamic trends influence the health science education curriculum?

1.6.2 Health Care Trends  What is the health profile in the country and the area concerned?  What are the health priorities in the country?  How did the above trends influence the health science education curriculum?

2. LEARNER ISSUES Analysis should include the comparison between the characteristic of required recruits and those of the available recruits.  How is the quality of the schooling system rated?  What are their strengths and limitations of the general educational system?  What are the entry requirements for the health science education program and what is the level of availability of suitable recruits?  What are the expectations of the recruits?

3. SUBJECT DISCIPLINE Analysis should explore the subject discipline from which curriculum content is selected.  What new knowledge has been generated in recent years, and how is the knowledge best learned?  What are the latest technological developments specific to the subject discipline?  How do these developments influence professional practice?

 How do the above developments influence the selection of curriculum , how the content is organized and sequenced and the teaching strategies and learning opportunities?

INTERNAL FACTORS TO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION Internal factors include the characteristics of the particular institution, its educational ethos and existing resources.

1. EDUCATIONAL ETHOS The educational ethos of a particular institution determines the type of educational program and the educational activities in the institution.  What is the vision and mission of the educational institution?  Which educational philosophy or philosophies have been adopted by the educational institution?  Which learning theories underpin the curriculum?  What are the educators’ views on the nature of the curriculum and the purpose of the curriculum?  How does the educational ethos influence the health science curriculum?

2. LEARNERS ISSUES  What is the demographic profile of the existing students e.g. age, gender, socio economic status?  Which languages do the learners speak, and which language do they all understand?  How culturally diverse is learner population?  What is the through put e.g. what are rates?  Do learners organizations e.g. unions exist and what are their educational views and demand?

3. RESOURCES Curriculum implementation is influenced by availability of material and human resources within the particular educational institution.

3.1 Material Resources

The quality of educational programs greatly depends on the availability of material resources which learning.  How adequate is the budget of the educational institution?  How adequate are the buildings, classroom facilities, library facilities, clinical teaching and learning facilities?  How adequate are the teaching and learning equipment and material?  To what extend do learners do learners have access to information, communication technologies, computer assisted learning and the internet?  How adequate are the services like transport services and technical services?

3.2 Human Resources The quality of the educators in of having the relevant knowledge, experience, skills (educational and clinical) and attitudes greatly affects the quality of education.  What is the profile of educators and clinical mentors?  What is the availability of suitably qualified educators?  Do educators organizations e.g. unions exist and what are their views and demand.