Use of the Pathfinder Scaling Algorithm to Measure Students' Structural Knowledge of Community Health Nursing

Abstract

<h4>ABSTRACT</h4> <P>In nursing education, measures of structural knowledge have not been widely used to assess student learning. Some authors have suggested concept mapping as a way to measure structural knowledge, but this approach can be subjective and otherwise problematic. Pathfinder, a computer-based network scaling technique, offers an alternative, quantitative method for representing and evaluating structural knowledge. The purpose of this study was to investigate structural knowledge as a learning outcome for baccalaureate nursing students by using Pathfinder techniques. Results revealed that students’ structural knowledge increased in internal consistency and became more similar to instructors’ knowledge during a course in community health nursing. Students with structural knowledge that was most coherent and similar to the instructors’ performed better in the course. Students’ structural knowledge characteristics differentiated between high-performing and low-performing students. Findings support the use of structural knowledge representation with Pathfinder scaling techniques as a way to operationalize learning. </P> <h4>AUTHOR</h4> <P>Received: July 29, 2005</P> <P>Accepted: November 11, 2005</P> <P>Dr. Azzarello is Associate Professor, University of Oklahoma College of Nursing, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.</P> <P>Address correspondence to Jo Azzarello, PhD, RN, Associate Professor, University of Oklahoma College of Nursing, 1100 North Stonewall Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73117; e-mail: <a href="mailto:jo-azzarello@ouhsc.edu">jo-azzarello@ouhsc.edu</a>.</P>

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