WHAT EDUCATION MUST BE FOR

..... a quick review of David Orr’s ideas about the six new principles of education from
http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC27/Orr.htm

First, all education is environmental education

If found this interesting as I came across an article by Goodman (2011) highlighting the need for a 'sustainability curriculum' in nurse education.  The focus of this paper was not about sustainable education, but about addressing the topics of sustainability and climate change in nurse education curricula.  Goodman pointed out that sustainable living is about not endangering the physical environment for future generations.  Over lunch I discussed with a colleague the fact that sustainable working is about having balance in work and living (and how we were both working over a lunch break...).  Sustainable health practices are vitally important in nursing as health care costs increase.  Sustainable practice and differentail fuinding can also been seen in the move away from hospital level care to increased support in the community and the provision of Primary Health Organizations. 

A second principle comes from the Greek concept of paideia. The goal of education is not mastery of subject matter, but of one's person.

This is not just about teaching “the curriculums” it is about learning about oneself and how one fits in the world.  This is an essential part of being a nurse.  You cannot care for others, unless you first care for yourself!

Third,  knowledge carries with it the responsibility to see that it is well used in the world.

We should use our knowledge responsibly.  Registered Nurses must act within their scope ofpractice and use their nursing knowledge appropriately. 

Fourth, we cannot say that we know something until we understand the effects of this knowledge on real people and their communities

This is very pertinent to the nursing curriculum.  Over the degree programme students spend time working with real people and in different communities.  They gain a wide range of experience from this and write about the health needs of different groups.

The fifth principle follows and is drawn from William Blake. It has to do with the importance of "minute particulars" and the power of examples over words.

Nursing uses case scenarios and real-life examples in all teaching and learning contexts.   This places learning in a meaningful context.

Finally, the way learning occurs is as important as the content of particular courses.

Learning occurs and develops over the three years of the BN degree programme and for nurses, continues in every nursing context.  Providing blended learning fits in with the Polytechnic’s institutional vision of life-long learning. 

Reference:  Goodman, B. (2011).  The need for a ‘sustainability curriculum’ in nurse education.  Nurse Education Today, doi: 10.10.1016/j.nedt2010.12.010.