Going. Gold. for the. By Carol Toussie Weingarten

Transcription

1 Going for the Gold By Carol Toussie Weingarten 36 APRIL/MAY 2008

2 Credit Bearing Hold Academic Treasure Among course options there is a hidden academic treasure: the opportunity for a credit-bearing independent study. Students may need to dig through a catalogue or propose this option, because independent studies can be buried among required and elective courses or not included or explained in every college course catalogue. Sometimes called a guided study, a credit bearing independent study is a real course, designed by a student in consultation with a professor, who signs on as the student s preceptor, adviser, or mentor for the duration of the course. The professor might be the student nurses association (SNA) chapter adviser or someone else with the academic credentials required by the school. This type of study allows the student to communicate ideas effectively, receive feedback that she or he can act on independently, and work professionally. In other words, such projects can help students develop the independent leadership and communication skills they will need as registered nurses in professional settings. An independent study can have one or more credits. The number of credits selected determines the time, commitment, and scope of the course. Students may choose to work with other students in nursing or other disciplines, although academic outcomes and grading criteria for everyone need to be clear. The possibilities for independent studies are endless. What are? Independent studies are common in graduate programs. They are also better known in other undergraduate majors, because nursing programs have fewer electives and because options for credit bearing independent studies have not received much attention for undergraduate nursing students. However, independent studies are a great academic option for nursing students. Imagine designing a unique course to meet your learning needs beyond existing courses, building time into your schedule for this course, meeting regularly with a professor of your choice to discuss your own work, NSNA IMPRINT 37

3 G OING FOR THE G OLD Credit-Bearing and NSNA s Leadership University Credit-bearing independent studies are different from the credit of NSNA s Leadership University. Independent studies are real courses based at a student s school. Their tuition is paid in the same way as any other course at a school. NSNA s Leadership University program does not award academic credits. No tuition is charged. Nothing appears on a transcript. Leadership University offers guidance and a certificate of recognition to students and faculty when SNA activities also meet academic requirements for assignments within existing courses or as creditbearing independent studies at their own schools. NSNA s program highlights the value of linking school and SNA learning activities. For more information please go to and earning course credit for everything. Add to that some fame related to visibility that comes from targeting outcomes that help you professionally, and include fortune related to the richness of new professional networks, growing confidence, learning, and the resumebuilding benefit of a credit-bearing independent study that can make you a more desirable candidate for jobs and honors. Are you ready to translate your own learning goals into the framework of a credit-bearing independent study? It is not for everyone. Will you commit to a course that depends on your ability to think critically and creatively as you plan, maintain and complete work consistently and independently? Do you understand that independent studies can be challenging and require at least as much time as established courses? Are you able to work one-on-one with a professor and to produce high quality work that makes your time and the professor s worthwhile? If so, academic gold may await you in a creditbearing independent study. vs. Assistantships Students may elect to pursue an area related to the work of a professor; however, the student doing a credit-bearing independent study is not a professor s assistant. The focus of the credit-bearing independent study is the student and the student s project. For many professors, the benefits of working with undergraduates through independent studies come from inspiring and mentoring future nurses and gaining the insights that develop when scholarly ideas are shared. Working with undergraduate students in credit-bearing independent studies does require a professor to donate time and commitment that may be in addition to full-time work responsibilities. SNA Involvement Chapter, state and national student nurses associations provide co-curricular activities that promote learning, professional development, service and the building of networks and friendships. They are not frills for spare time. SNAs are complex organizations that continuously involve students in professional and interpersonal issues. Their activities and roles encompass such areas 38 APRIL/MAY 2008

4 as leadership, management, fiscal responsibility, advocacy, psychology, and history. As a focus for creditbearing independent studies, SNAs are gold mines for topics and opportunities. This realization sometimes shocks students (and faculty!), because it is so simple, accessible, and taking place around them. Why not develop scholarly work with the SNA into a credit-bearing independent study? and the SNA: One Professor s Perspective My own inspiration for linking SNA involvement with credit-bearing independent studies came from students themselves. I often heard students say: There s so much that goes into the success of (our SNA).I wish I had time to really get some in depth study and understanding of these activities.my work in the SNA is a course in itself! The students talked about leadership, fund raising, legislative awareness and the history of major projects related to the SNA; each topic linked to a major area of study in nursing or other disciplines. According to NSNA s Executive Director Diane J. The focus of the credit-bearing independent study is the student and the student s project. Mancino, EdD, RN, CAE, author of 50 Years of the National Student Nurses Association a must read chronicle of this enormously successful complex organization involvement itself offers a practicum in leadership (p.93). The students ideas were academically sound. The university already valued credit bearing independent studies enough to include the option in the course catalogue. Why not work with students who wanted to design scholarly learning related to the SNA involvement they loved? The students would meet academic objectives, the SNA would benefit, and I would learn something too. We certainly would not be bored. The nursing students were right. The experience has been so positive that mentoring students in creditbearing independent studies has now become part of my academic activities. Nearly every semester over the past six years, I have worked with at least one undergraduate nursing student electing an independent study. In spring 2007, a student in Villanova s English Honors program designed a 3-credit elective linking her work on the campus television station with nursing projects. Interdisciplinary friendships and networks evolved and her work was published in the Philadelphia and Tri State Edition of Nursing Spectrum. Every independent study course has been different and has reflected each student s individuality and interests. My students have been sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Not everyone who selected the independent study had an A grade point average prior to the independent study, but all had A level determination. Every student has been successful in meeting objectives for his/her project. Every nursing student became or continued as an SNA officer. In addition to publications and/or presentations, all of the nursing students qualified for Leadership University certificates, Examples of Independent Study Projects Michaela Connolly, Class of There is an art and science to the kind of fundraising that enables a chapter to sponsor over 30 students from Philadelphia to state and national student nurse conventions, and to support many local activities. SNAP-Villanova fundraising chairperson Michaela Connolly turned her talents toward the study of fundraising in relation to an SNA. She linked her in-depth study to field experiences in heading a Fundraising Committee, planning and implementing chapter fundraising activities. The author of a fund raising manual tailored to the chapter, she shared her insights with NSNA members in Keeping the Boat Afloat: Item Fund Raising Strategies for a Student Nurses Association published in Imprint s September/October 2005 issue. Meghan C. Murphy, Class of Meghan s interest focused on working with families of seriously ill children through SNAP-Villanova s monthly projects at Philadelphia s Ronald McDonald House. Dating to the early 1990s, this is SNAP-Villanova s longest running project. Meghan s 3-credit independent study researched the history of SNAP-Villanova s projects and produced a guidebook for future project leaders. As part of her work she located and interviewed the founder of the projects, now an officer in the Navy Nurse Corps, as well as key leaders at the Ronald McDonald House. She subsequently served on SNAP- Villanova s Board as chair of the RMH project and mentor to the students who maintain the success of the project. NSNA IMPRINT 39

5 G OING FOR THE G OLD awarded at the NSNA convention their senior year. Over the years, experiences with students of diverse levels and backgrounds have challenged stereotypes and shown that creditbearing independent studies can be academic gold mines. They are for undergraduate nursing students; and students who do and do not have A grade point averages can flourish in independent studies. Indeed, the focus and attention that accompany a credit-bearing independent study can build confidence along with academic skills. Lilian (Lily) Perry, Class of 2010, designed an independent study as a 3-credit free elective. The 2007 Publicity Chairperson for Villanova University s Chapter of the Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP-Villanova), Lily focused on such topics as marketing, publicity, and understanding a student population. She incorporated her leadership activities with the Publicity Committee into her scholarly work and included a paper for publication as part of her goals. Look for her article, Selling Success: Marketing a Student Nurses Association to a Campus in the September/October 2008 issue of Imprint. Lily s work had additional outcomes: an overall increase in the chapter s NSNA membership and excellent meeting attendance. Lily was also recently elected 2008 Vice President of SNAP-Villanova. As Lily summarized, An independent study gave me the opportunity to study a student organization in a different way and to see my work come alive in the real world. What I learned relates to many areas.it was a great experience I d recommend to anyone. references Mancino, D. (2002). 50 Years of the National Student Nurses Association. New York: National Student Nurses Association. Carol Toussie Weingarten, PhD, RN is the National League for Nursing (NLN) consultant to NSNA. She is an associate professor at Villanova University and serves as the Villanova NSNA chapter advisor. She has mentored and advised over 40 Villanova students elected to the state Board of Directors and five students elected to NSNA s Board of Directors. 40 APRIL/MAY 2008