The Learning Needs of Assistants at Nursing Universities and Junior Colleges

Abstract

〔Purpose〕To clarify and discuss the characteristics of learning needs of assistants at nursing universities and junior colleges.

〔Methods〕Questionnaires on the attributes investigation and learning needs papers were distributed to 294 assistants at nursing universities and junior colleges throughout Japan. Individual respondents returned the questionnaire anonymously by postal mail. Respondents’ answers were analyzed using content analysis employed in nursing education with reference to the technique developed by Berelson.

〔Results〕 A total of 182 completed questionnaires were returned （61.9% response rate）, of which 141 were valid. Analysis of the valid questionnaires revealed 31 categories representing the learning needs of assistants, including “knowledge necessary to promote research activities,” “knowledge and skill necessary to design lessons by the type of class,” and “knowledge and skill necessary to provide guidance that promotes students’ active learning.”

〔Discussion〕The present findings suggest that the 31 learning needs of assistants were typically structured into seven compositions, including “self-implementation of research and research guidance for students,” and “designing and organizing lessons necessary to develop classes and evaluation of this.”