Research Online at MacEwan :: Browsing by Author "McKendrick-Calder, Lisa"

Browsing by Author "McKendrick-Calder, Lisa"

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Can relational feed-forward enhance students’ cognitive and affective responses to assessment?
(2021) Hill, Jennifer; Berlin, Kathy; Choate, Julia; Cravens-Brown, Lisa; McKendrick-Calder, Lisa; Smith, Susan
Assessment feedback should be an integral part of learning in higher education, but students can find this process emotionally and cognitively challenging. Instructors need to consider how to manage students’ responses to feedback so that students feel capable of improving their work and maintaining their wellbeing. In this paper, we examine the role of instructor-student relational feed-forward, enacted as a dialogue relating to ongoing assessment, in dissipating student anxiety, enabling productive learning attitudes and behaviours, and supporting wellbeing. We undertook qualitative data collection within two undergraduate teaching units that were adopting a relational feed-forward intervention over the 2019–2020 academic year. Student responses were elicited via small group, semi-structured interviews and personal reflective diaries, and were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. The results demonstrate that relational feed-forward promotes many elements of student feedback literacy, such as appreciating the purpose and value of feedback, judging work against a rubric, exercising volition and agency to act, and managing affect. Students were keen for instructors to help them manage their emotions related to assessment, believing this would promote their wellbeing. We conclude by exploring academic strategies and pedagogies that position relational instructor feed-forward as an act of care, and we summarize the key characteristics of emotionally resonant relational feed-forward meetings.
Designing a fourth year baccalaureate nursing course utilizing the lens of the theory of bureaucratic caring and a root cause analysis approach
(2013) Maykut, Colleen; McKendrick-Calder, Lisa
The purpose of baccalaureate nursing education is to foster critical thinking in the nursing student to encourage use of evidence in their practice, increasing their ability to manage complexity in a variety of settings. Nurses who incorporate critical thinking and problem-solving strategies into their practice ensure an evidence-informed approach and become active participants and architects of their own destiny. A root cause analysis approach utilizing The Theory of Bureaucratic Caring as a lens might facilitate critical thinking and problem solving, and enhance the understanding of the dichotomy of a caring bureaucracy; facilitate decision-making; and humanize nursing care (Ray, 1989; Ray & Turkel, 2012, 2010) for the nursing student.
Educators’ lived experiences of encountering and supporting the mental wellness of university students
(2024) McKendrick-Calder, Lisa; Choate, Julia
Globally, there is an increasing prevalence of higher education students with mental health issues. Educators are guaranteed contact points, and students often seek their support to manage their mental wellness. However, there is limited research describing educators’ experiences of these interactions. This interpretive phenomenological study engaged 16 educators from an institution in Canada and Australia. Interviews were conducted to understand their lived experiences interacting with and supporting students with mental health issues. Data demonstrated that educators encountered students with challenges to mental wellness, most commonly around course assessments. These encounters caused strain on educators personally and professionally, which they responded to by adapting teaching practices to mitigate risks to student and educator wellbeing, compartmentalization and boundaries, and relational connection and support. Over time they evolved to manage this and incorporate this role into their teaching, with more confidence and less impact on themselves. This manuscript highlights the lived experiences of educators engaging with students with mental health stressors, and provides tangible examples of professional and personal modifications that mitigated the strain on the educator caused by these encounters.
Emotions experienced by instructors delivering written feedback and dialogic feed-forward
(2023) Hill, Jennifer; Berlin, Kathy; Choate, Julia; Cravens-Brown, Lisa; McKendrick-Calder, Lisa; Smith, Susan
Understanding the emotions experienced by higher education instructors related to assessment feedback, how instructors understand student emotions, and how instructors might manage these emotions positively, can help to secure the educational benefits of feedback. In this research, we aimed to explore the emotional responses that instructors experienced through the giving and receiving of assessment feedback. We undertook qualitative data collection, carrying out individual semi-structured interviews with instructors from three universities who had administered a dialogic feed-forward intervention on one of their teaching units. The full interview transcripts were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. Five main themes emerged from the interview data: 1. Summative written feedback aroused largely negative emotions in instructors because they felt distanced from their students; 2. Instructors experienced a broad range of emotions related to dialogic feed-forward encounters, emerging from their proximity to students; 3. Dialogic feed-forward, as an affective encounter, was emotionally challenging for instructors; 4. Dialogic feed-forward built strong learning relationships between students and instructors, strengthening students’ sense of belonging; 5. Dialogic feed-forward was transformational for instructors as educators. We consider the implications of our findings for instructors and wider assessment and feedback practices, including emotional labour, promotional reward, and instructor professional development.
Exploring the emotional responses of undergraduate students to assessment feedback: implications for instructors
(2021) Hill, Jennifer; Berlin, Kathy; Choate, Julia; Cravens-Brown, Lisa; McKendrick-Calder, Lisa; Smith, Susan
Summative assessments tend to be viewed as high-stakes episodes by students, directly exposing their capabilities as learners. As such, receiving feedback is likely to evoke a variety of emotions that may interact with cognitive engagement and hence the ability to learn. Our research investigated the emotions experienced by undergraduate students in relation to assessment feedback, exploring if these emotions informed their learning attitudes and behaviours. Respondents were drawn from different years of study and subject/major. A qualitative approach was adopted, using small group, semi-structured interviews and reflective diaries. Data were analysed thematically and they revealed that receiving feedback was inherently emotional for students, permeating their wider learning experience positively and negatively. Many students struggled to receive and act upon negative feedback, especially in early years, when it was often taken personally and linked to a sense of failure. Negative emotional responses tended to reduce students’ motivation, self-confidence, and self-esteem. Some students, especially in later years of study, demonstrated resilience and engagement in response to negative feedback. By contrast, positive feedback evoked intense but fleeting emotions. Positive feedback made students feel cared about, validating their selfworth and increasing their confidence, but it was not always motivational. The paper concludes with recommendations for instructors, highlighting a need to communicate feedback carefully and to develop student and staff feedback literacies.
Journal Club: An innovative teaching practice to foster peer connection & enhance information literacy
(2022) Croxen, Hanneke; Nelson, Jody; McKendrick-Calder, Lisa
Information literacy (IL) involves a set of abilities essential for higher education learners, such as the ability to identify, critically evaluate, understand, and apply scholarly literature (ACRL, 2013, http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/nursing), yet studies often demonstrate that these IL skills are lacking and need further development (Bury, 2016; Saunders, 2012). Traditional methods of addressing this need center around stand-alone librarian-led IL sessions, which cannot provide the time or space needed to develop critical reading and reflection practices. Within our context of nursing this is a common challenge, one study found that 40% of second year nursing students have difficulty reading journal articles (Chaudoir et al., 2016), this despite IL being an essential skill for nursing practice (Mitchell & Pereira-Edwards, 2022). In an attempt to address learner needs a course instructor and librarian teamed up. Journal clubs, used in practice settings to maintain currency and promote EBP behavior (Wilson et al., 2015), have been used successfully in other health education contexts (Steenbeek, et al., 2009; Szucs, et al., 2017; Thompson, 2006). This application is referred to as evidence based practice (EBP), and is an essential component of nursing practice. Having activities for undergraduate nursing students that instill EBP aims to ensure that it will be incorporated into practice after graduation (Mitchell & Pereira-Edwards, 2022). Instead of the traditional librarian-led IL sessions, a first year nursing course was redesigned to utilize a guided journal club approach with an aim of enhancing the ability to seek, read, and interpret journal literature. Journal club activities took place over 8 weeks, alternating guided activities with brief IL lessons, and culminating in a group journal club assignment. Students were placed in small groups based on an area of practice they wanted to learn more about. Activities were scaffolded starting with introducing a research database and basic literature searching strategies. As students progressed through the journal club activities throughout the term, they were asked to find articles related to specific topics aligned with the course and their area of practice, critique and present their article to their group members, and then how to apply their interpretations. A survey was used to measure the impact of journal club on student IL self-efficacy, as measured through the validated Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale (ILSES) developed by Kurbanoglu et al. (2006). Initial findings support journal club as an effective modality to enhance students self-efficacy in specific areas of IL. Additionally, other valuable outcomes of this strategy were discovered, for example, students reported becoming more comfortable collaborating with peers and anecdotal reports showed students developed friendships with peers. This scaffolded journal club approach to discipline-specific IL learning would translate well to other contexts, particularly those which require a significant grounding in reading and understanding disciplinary research. The journal club activities are available at: https://tinyurl.com/JournalClubPosterISSOTL2022
Journal club: an innovative teaching practice to foster peer connection and enhance information literacy skills
(2023) Croxen, Hanneke; Nelson, Jody; McKendrick-Calder, Lisa
This project aimed to better understand the impact and student experience of an innovative teaching strategy focused on information literacy (IL) for first-year undergraduate nursing students. Information literacy (IL) involves the development of a set of abilities essential for higher education learners, such as the ability to identify, critically evaluate, understand, and apply scholarly literature (ACRL 2013), yet studies often demonstrate that these IL skills are lacking and need further development (Bury 2016; Saunders 2012). Traditional methods of addressing this need center around stand-alone librarian-led IL sessions, which cannot provide the time or space needed to develop critical reading and reflection practices. Within our context of nursing, this is a common challenge; one study found that 40% of second-year nursing students have difficulty reading journal articles (Chaudoir et al. 2016), despite IL being an essential skill for nursing practice (Mitchell and Pereira-Edwards 2022). In an attempt to address learner needs, a course instructor and librarian teamed up. Journal clubs, used in practice settings to maintain currency and promote EBP behavior (Wilson et al. 2015), have been used successfully in other health education contexts (Steenbeek et al. 2009; Szucs et al. 2017; Thompson 2006). This application is referred to as evidence-based practice (EBP) and is an essential component of nursing practice. Having activities for undergraduate nursing students that instill EBP aims to ensure that it will be incorporated into practice after graduation (Mitchell and Pereira-Edwards 2022). Instead of the traditional librarian-led IL sessions, a first-year nursing course was redesigned to utilize a guided journal club approach to enhance the ability to seek, read, and interpret journal literature. Journal club activities took place over eight weeks, alternating guided activities with brief IL lessons, and culminated in a group journal club assignment. Students were placed in small groups based on an area of practice they wanted to learn more about. Activities were scaffolded starting with introducing a research database and basic literature searching strategies. As students progressed through the term’s journal club activities, they were asked to find articles related aligned with course topics and their area of practice, critique and present their articles to their group members, and then apply their interpretations. A survey was used to measure the impact of journal club on student IL self-efficacy, as measured through the validated Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale (ILSES) developed by Kurbanoglu et al. (2006). Initial findings support journal club as an effective modality to enhance students’ self-efficacy in specific areas of IL. Additionally, other valuable outcomes of this strategy were discovered. For example, students reported becoming more comfortable collaborating with peers and anecdotal reports showed students developed friendships with peers. This scaffolded journal club approach to discipline-specific IL learning would translate well to other contexts, particularly those that require a significant grounding in reading and understanding disciplinary research. The journal club activities are available at: https://tinyurl.com/JournalClubPosterISSOTL2022, or by contacting the authors.
The lived experience of being a caregiver for a family member with a terminal illness
(2024) Diaz Cortes, Kathleen; McKendrick-Calder, Lisa
Family Caregivers are the invisible healthcare providers within our society, comprising a substantial portion of the population, with 1 in 4 Canadians stepping into this role at some point in their lives. Often, when we hear of death, our first instinct is to avoid its path, but for caregivers of terminally ill loved ones, confronting mortality is an unavoidable reality. Caring for a terminally ill family member carries unique challenges and responsibilities and places significant demands on caregivers, who play a vital yet often overlooked role. Despite their indispensable role, caregivers' experiences are not fully understood, and nurses lack the necessary tools and knowledge to support them adequately. We will be exploring the lived experiences and responsibilities of caregivers for terminally ill family members, shedding light on the physical, emotional, and financial burdens they bear. Through a comprehensive exploration of the literature, we will uncover caregivers' multifaceted roles, from providing physical care and emotional support to serving as advocates and decision-makers. We will then discuss the profound impact of caregiving demands on caregivers' physical and mental health. By gaining a deeper understanding of their experiences, we can better equip healthcare professionals and the healthcare system to meet family caregivers' needs. Additionally, this research allows us to examine how we may address the system to support this population. Given that anyone may find themselves in a caregiving position at some point in their lives, this topic holds profound implications for all individuals, making it an imperative area of study and intervention.
Managing student workload in clinical simulation: a mindfulness-based intervention
(2019) Pollard, Cheryl; McKendrick-Calder, Lisa; Shumka, Christine; McDonald, Mandy; Carlson, Susan
Background: Simulation places multiple simultaneous demands on participants. It is well documented in the literature that many participants feel performance stress, anxiety or other emotions while participating in simulation activities. These feelings and other stressors or distractions may impact participant ability to engage in simulation. The use of mindfulness has been proven to enhance performance in other contexts and we wondered if including a mindful moments activity in the traditional pre-brief would change the participants perceived workload demands. Method: Utilizing a 4th year undergraduate nursing course with intense simulation requirement we were able to compare a control group to an intervention group who was exposed to this mindful moment activity. All participants completed the same simulations. Post-simulation event, all participants completed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Learning Index which measures mental demands, physical demands, temporal demands, effort, performance and frustration. Our convenience sample consisted of 107 nursing students (86 treatment group, 21 control group) who participated in 411simulations for this study. Results: The control group experienced significantly different perceived workload demands in two domains (temporal and effort). Conclusion: It is possible to manipulate participants’ perceived workload in simulation learning experiences. More research is needed to determine optimal participant demand levels. We continue in our practices to utilize this technique and are currently expanding it to use in other high stress situations such as before exams.
Mental health literacy: An essential tool for caring post-secondary educators
(2021) McKendrick-Calder, Lisa; Heuver, Tanya; Pollard, Cheryl; Barrington-Moss, Gabriel
The mental health needs of post-secondary students have been steadily increasing. Educators, particularly those who work in caring disciplines like the social and health sciences, are often compelled to assist students with their mental health, but may lack confidence in our abilities to support students. Relationally, this uncertainty may prohibit us from engaging in the caring relationships so important for role modelling professionalism. This paper describes the baseline mental health literacy of 122 educators in higher education which provides a starting point for educators and researchers studying caring practices, specifically as they relate to student mental health.
Mindful moments — enhancing deliberate practice in simulation learning
(2019) McKendrick-Calder, Lisa; Pollard, Cheryl; Shumka, Christine; McDonald, Mandy; Carlson, Susan; Winton, Shelley
Stress is a significant factor in the effectiveness of simulated learning experiences (Cantrell, Meyer, & Mosack, 2017; Shearer, 2016). Affected by stressors, students’ mental energies are drawn away from actively engaging in deliberate practice opportunities. By decreasing students’ overall stress levels, we theorized that their performance would improve. Examples of improved performance included increased engagement in deliberate practice activities, improved critical thinking, and improved time management skills within a simulation learning environment. We also believed that if students could focus more intentionally on the simulations, the overall learning experience could be enhanced.
Navigating nursing student anxiety: a conceptual model
(2024) McKendrick-Calder, Lisa; Shumka, Christine; Heuver, Tanya; Pollard, Cheryl; Morey, Kylie; Chase, Thomas; Solanki, Shivani
Nursing students experience high rates of anxiety (Gurková & Zeleníková, 2018; Mills et al., 2020; Wedgeworth, 2016) but little is known about the relationship between anxiety and the learning environment. This study intended to explore and better understand what components of the learning environment are impacted by or impact anxiety. This research utilized a grounded theory approach utilizing constant comparative analysis of findings to develop a theoretical model that identifies and describes the components of the learning environment that impact anxiety. Focus groups revealed that educator practices, participants' sense of self, and social determinants of health impacted student experiences of anxiety. Participants also identified several protective factors including self-management and self-care strategies, professional mental health resources, and relationships. The model provides a conceptual framework that can be used as a resource to guide practices of nurse educators and administrators as they reflect on the relationships between intrinsic and external factors, including the learning environment.
Navigating the impact of COVID‐19: Anxiety in the learning environment
(2021) Heuver, Tanya; McKendrick-Calder, Lisa; Pollard, Cheryl; Shumka, Christine; Chase, Thomas; Morey, Kylie; Solanki, Shivani
A high percentage of post‐secondary students experience anxiety. Anxiety can range from being a helpful stimulus, to completely debilitating. This project explores the relationship between the learning environment and student anxiety.
On a quest to maximize student learning potential
(2017) Pollard, Cheryl; McKendrick-Calder, Lisa; Bowman, Catherine; Heuver, Tanya
As educators, we are in search of ways to better assist students in their journey as they learn how to apply theoretical knowledge to practice based situations. Quest based learning is a unique methodology that extends student learning and engagement with course material beyond the classroom allowing them to solve problems and develop their critical thinking abilities. In our course students complete quests in preparation for class which increases their accountability and engagement with the content. This session will highlight current evidence based practices for quest based learning. Ways to create a learning community with student centered activities and active engagement will be explored. Strategies for developing and facilitating quest based learning will be discussed. Session participants will have the opportunity to participate in quest based learning activities and engage with an online learning platform.
Research recast(ed): S1E8 - A conversation with Lisa McKendrick-Calder
(2021) Ekelund, Brittany; Cave, Dylan; McKendrick-Calder, Lisa
Today we learn about student stressors, coping with mental health in ourselves and others, and how professors are people too. Joining us in the studio is Lisa McKendrick-Calder, a registered nurse and an associate professor in the Faculty of Nursing. About to undertake her PhD - focused on student anxiety - her research interests are rooted in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, with a focus on the mental wellbeing of students and faculty. Check out this video to learn more about what that means!
Scaffolding IL learning and EBP exploration in a semester-long journal club: impact on nursing student self-efficacy
(2023) Nelson, Jody; Croxen, Hanneke; McKendrick-Calder, Lisa; Ha, Lam; Su, Wanhua
Nursing students require essential information literacy (IL) skills: locate research articles, assess for quality, and apply to practice-based scenarios. Understanding research remains a common challenge, with one study finding 40% of 2nd year nursing students have difficulty reading journal articles, yet stand-alone IL workshops rarely allow time needed to develop critical reading, assessment, and reflection practices. Our discovery-based, scaffolded IL learning approach is modeled on the student journal club, which has been found to positively impact students’ application of research in clinical contexts. By embedding IL instruction strategically throughout a 1st year nursing course we hoped to enhance understanding, mindset, retention, and transferability of IL. This study sought to identify the impact of the journal club on nursing student IL self-efficacy, as measured through the validated Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale.
Scaffolding information literacy learning for undergraduate nursing students: a mixed-method exploration of student IL self-efficacy
(2024) Croxen, Hanneke; Nelson, Jody; McKendrick-Calder, Lisa; Su, Wanhua
Information literacy (IL) competency is an essential component of evidence-informed nursing practice. It is integral to introduce and develop core information literacy competencies for evidence-informed practice within undergraduate education programs. Research has shown undergraduate students may experience challenges with information literacy skills. More research to inform teaching methodologies that effectively enhance students’ skills and abilities, as well as their self-efficacy with these skills, is needed. This article describes an innovative teaching strategy, called journal club, which uses scaffolded learning activities in small groups over one semester.
Using infographics to go public with SoTL
(2024) Keogh, Bryn; Nowell, Lorelli; Laios, Eleftheria; McKendrick-Calder, Lisa; Molitor, Whitney Lucas; Wilbur, Kerry
There has been a call to amplify the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and expand its reach by engaging with audiences outside the academy. In this paper, we share our journey in crossing disciplinary boundaries and creating a SoTL-informed infographic for public consumption. As the field of SoTL continues to evolve, infographics hold tremendous potential to communicate SoTL to various stakeholders, including educators, students, administrators, policymakers, and the public. We outline best practices in infographic development and the potential of infographics as a tool for taking SoTL public, emphasizing their visual appeal and effectiveness in conveying complex information. We conclude by discussing the implications of using infographics to advance SoTL communication. The efforts of our group serve as a valuable example of how infographics can be used to bring SoTL knowledge out of academia and into the public domain.

Browsing by Author "McKendrick-Calder, Lisa"

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