Abstract
M.Cur.
The learning accompanists (nurse educator), in the didactic situation within the context of a
nursing college, is midst a process of transformation. This transformation has a direct
influence on the learning accompanists didactic role fulfilment. Didactic support systems
enables the learning accompanist to fulfil her/his didactic role. These didactic support
systems should be managed during the process of transformation, in such a way that it
enables the learning accompanist to fulfil her/his didactic role. A new creative approach to
the management of the didactic situation is necessary.
The goal of this study is to describe guidelines for the management of didactic support
systems, at a nursing college, to enable the learning accompanist to fulfil her/his didactic
role. An inductive, qualitative, contextual, exploring, descriptive strategy is used to reach
the goal of the study.
The background and rationale of the study are described, the problem is stated as well as a
central theoretical statement. The assumptions of the study are described within the
framework of the nursing theory for the whole person. No explicit theoretical assumptions
are made, so that the researcher is open to empirical findings and to prevent pre-conceived
ideas. The methodological assumptions is based on the Botes research model.
No explicit conceptual framework is used as point of departure. Because the participants are
midst a process of transformation, their knowledge and experience are used as source of data,
as they can express their needs and views the best. The goal of this study is reached by
setting four objectives. Objective I is to explore and describe the learning accompanists need
for didactic support systems, within the context of a nursing college. Objective II is to
explore and describe the managements views with regard to the way they can give didactic
support, within the context of a nursing college. Objective III is to describe a conceptual
framework. Objective IV is derived from objective I, objective II and objective III. Objective
IV is the description of guidelines for the management of didactic support systems at a
nursing college. To attain objective I, exploring is done by means of interviews with learning accompanist's.
One semi-structured question is: "What are your needs for didactic support systems in the
college?"
To attain objective II, exploring is done by means of individual interviews with role players.
One central question is set: "How can you give didactic support to the learning
accompanist?" The interviews are conducted by an independent moderator/interviewer and
assistant. Data is recorded by means of audio tapes and field notes, whereafter transcription
takes place. Data is coded by the researcher and an assistent coder. The data analysis is done
through a systematic approach of text analysis, as described by Tesch (in Cresswell,
1995:155). Thereafter the empirical findings of objective I and objective II are described.
The interpretations are grounded by statements from the empirical data. Statements (n = 57)
are formulated from the empirical findings of objective I and objective II.
From these statements (n = 57) a list of concepts are generated. These concepts are utilized
to attain objective III, the describing of a conceptual framework. The survey list of Dickoff,
James and Wiedenbach (1968) is utilized to describe the conceptual framework in a
structured manner. Data collection is done through a literature search to correlate the
empirical findings with the literature.
During the description of the conceptual framework conclusion statements (n = 15) are
made. These conclusion statements are utilized to attain objective IV. Objective IV is to
describe guidelines for the management of didactic support systems at a nursing college.
Through logical inferention 12 guidelines and possible operationalisation of each are
described.
The uniqueness of the study lies in the relevance within the current time frame context and
that it expresses the needs of the learner accompanists and the views of the managers at a
nursing college. An abundance of possibilities for further research are created.