Health sciences teacher students' competence, needs for competence development and factors associating with them
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
Leena Palotie -Hall
Topic of the dissertation
Health sciences teacher students' competence, needs for competence development and factors associating with them
Doctoral candidate
Master of Health Sciences Heli-Maria Kuivila
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Medicine, Health sciences and technology
Subject of study
Nursing Science
Opponent
Professor Hannele Turunen, University of Eastern Finland
Custos
Professor Kristina Mikkonen, University of Oulu
Health sciences teacher students' competence, needs for competence development and factors associating with them
The purpose of the study was to describe and explain the competence and competence development needs of health sciences teacher students in health sciences teacher education.
In the first phase, 23 Finnish health science teacher students were interviewed to describe teacher students’ perceptions of the competencies needed to work as an educator in the healthcare field. In the second phase, health sciences teacher students’ (n = 101) competence and the competence levels were identified. In the third phase, competence development needs of health sciences teacher students and the factors associated with those needs were identified.
The first phase of the study revealed that teacher students defined the competences required for teaching through eight different categories; leadership and management competence; evidence-based practice competence; subject competence; ethical competence; pedagogical competence; collaboration competence; internationalisation competence; and continuous professional development competence. In the second phase, teacher students rated their competences as good on average, with evidence-based practice as the highest and collaboration and networking as the lowest. Based on their competence, the teacher students could be divided into three distinct profiles. In the third phase, it was found that teacher students felt that they needed to develop their competence in all areas. Leadership and management, subject and curriculum and digipedagogical competence was associated to pedagogical competence development needs. Collaboration competence affected the competence development needs of managing challenging situations in teaching. Work experience as a teacher reduced the need for support for teacher students and increased their knowledge of coping with challenging teaching situations.
By continuously evaluating education and competences, we can identify where competences are perceived to need the most improvement. This will also help us to distinguish between effective and less effective training education and to target educational resources to the proper improvement areas. Identifying competence development needs and planning one's learning accordingly should be an ongoing process throughout a teacher's career.
In the first phase, 23 Finnish health science teacher students were interviewed to describe teacher students’ perceptions of the competencies needed to work as an educator in the healthcare field. In the second phase, health sciences teacher students’ (n = 101) competence and the competence levels were identified. In the third phase, competence development needs of health sciences teacher students and the factors associated with those needs were identified.
The first phase of the study revealed that teacher students defined the competences required for teaching through eight different categories; leadership and management competence; evidence-based practice competence; subject competence; ethical competence; pedagogical competence; collaboration competence; internationalisation competence; and continuous professional development competence. In the second phase, teacher students rated their competences as good on average, with evidence-based practice as the highest and collaboration and networking as the lowest. Based on their competence, the teacher students could be divided into three distinct profiles. In the third phase, it was found that teacher students felt that they needed to develop their competence in all areas. Leadership and management, subject and curriculum and digipedagogical competence was associated to pedagogical competence development needs. Collaboration competence affected the competence development needs of managing challenging situations in teaching. Work experience as a teacher reduced the need for support for teacher students and increased their knowledge of coping with challenging teaching situations.
By continuously evaluating education and competences, we can identify where competences are perceived to need the most improvement. This will also help us to distinguish between effective and less effective training education and to target educational resources to the proper improvement areas. Identifying competence development needs and planning one's learning accordingly should be an ongoing process throughout a teacher's career.
Last updated: 16.8.2024