NMHS10360 Academic Writing & Reading in Nursing and Midwifery

Academic Year 2022/2023

Student success in university requires engaging in new ways of learning and advancing academic/disciplinary literacies to support university learning and professional practice in nursing/midwifery. Disciplinary literacy describes the specialised norms and approaches to thinking and problem solving, learning, building knowledge, and communicating within the scholarly and professional nursing/midwifery community. Academic literacy are common practices expected within university when presenting scholarly work. Research has identified a strong link between both disciplinary and academic literacy support in undergraduate programmes and student success. This module provides discipline-led academic literacy support for incoming students to a programme of study in nursing /midwifery. The module adopts a student-centred holistic approach underpinned by an academic advising framework and focuses on four domains of learning:

Domain 1: Disciplinary socialisation 'Thinking like a nurse or midwife'.
Learning opportunities focus on engaging in literature/concepts, language practices, and ways of thinking and communicating shared within the nursing/midwifery community. The module focuses on the disciplinary concept ‘Evidence-Based Practice’.

Domain 2: Disciplinary academic literacies 'Academic support'.
There is explicit support and learning opportunities throughout the module to develop disciplinary/academic literacies. Key areas of focus include developing skills in critical reading; engaging with, evaluating, and analysing knowledge; academic writing, and critical thinking.

Domain 3: Learner agency 'Thinking and learning to learn’.
Learner agency focuses on developing into an independent, self-regulated learner. Useful resources and strategies are provided to help the students become more independent. There is an opportunity to formulate an individualised learning plan to meet your specific needs for managing your learning and developing as a learner.

Domain 4: Wellness and wellbeing 'Social and emotional support'.
The importance of student wellness is discussed, and some resources and strategies to promote student wellness/wellbeing are provided. The module has intentionally designed with the opportunity to work in small groups to help foster a sense of connection, belonging and social support in the first term of university. There is an opportunity to formulate an individualised wellness/wellbeing plan to meet your specific needs as a student.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

After this module, you will be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of evidence-based practice in nursing/midwifery, drawing on multiple sources of knowledge and present this in an academic essay.
2. Apply reading strategies to engage with different texts required for academic or professional purposes.
3. Apply the conventions of academic integrity and Harvard referencing to your academic work.
4. Position ideas to form an intellectual argument that displays academic voice and critical thinking in writing practices.
5. Identify and manage your own learning processes and wellness/wellbeing and in doing so develop a learning plan with relevant application of self-development strategies.

Indicative Module Content:

• Introducing the characteristics of a self-regulated learner and the concept of 'metacognition'.
• Practical resources and learning strategies to promote metacognition/effective learning.
• Concept of wellness/well-being and its relevance for student success and in professional practice.
• Practical resources & wellness/well-being strategies, specifically Healthy UCD's three pillars.
• Concept of Academic/Disciplinary literacy.
• Concept of Evidence-based practice in nursing/midwifery.
• Reading practices for university learning and professional practice.
• Knowledge (evidence) building: Engaging, analysing, and presenting knowledge.
• Critical thinking and demonstrating this in communicative practices.
• Academic writing.
• Academic integrity, plagiarism, and Harvard referencing.
• Introduction to using an electronic database.
• Requirements for presenting scholarly work in SNMHS.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

12
Tutorial

10
Specified Learning Activities

40
Autonomous Student Learning

63
Total

125
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Over ten weeks, there are weekly learning activities, including online resources, specific learning activities, lectures, and academic advising tutorials. Students are expected to engage in individual and group activities requiring participation in conversation/ group discussion and individual self-enquiry and reflection.

Lectures provide an opportunity for active engagement with gaining knowledge and clear explanations of Evidence-based Practice, Academic /Disciplinary Literacies, Student Wellness and Wellbeing and Learning to Learn.

Tutorials are an opportunity to deepen understanding and develop disciplinary and academic literacies through engagement with your assessments. Tutorials are facilitated by an academic advisor with expertise in nursing/midwifery. The tutorial time is an opportunity for immediate engagement and feedback, where students get support with their learning needs. Tutorials harness the value of peer-assisted learning and collaborative learning.

 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Essay: An academic piece of writing relevant to your discipline (Nursing / Midwifery). Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Standard conversion grade scale 40% Yes

75
Continuous Assessment: Five learning activities (including the UCD Academic Integrity course) each linked with the Academic Advising Tutorials that students will present evidence of completion. Throughout the Trimester n/a Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

25

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback from this module is particularly relevant for future modules. Feedback Strategy/Strategies • Academic Advisors will have the opportunity to provide discussion and review of your work. • Feedback individually to students, post-assessment. • Peer review on written assessment. • Self-assessment activities.

Boswell and Cannon, 'Introduction to Evidence Based Practice'
Name Role
Dr Carmel Davies Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Patricia Fox Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Timothy Frawley Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Jane Garland Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr John Gilmore Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Qiaohong Ke Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Ciara Kirwan Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Aoife Claire MacCormac Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Brid McCarthy Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Teresa McDonagh Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Tracey McDonagh Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Lisa Rogers Lecturer / Co-Lecturer