title: Concept maps and nursing theory: a pedagogical approach.
abstract: Faculty seek to teach nursing students how to link clinical and theoretical knowledge with the intent of improving patient outcomes. The author discusses an innovative 9-week concept mapping activity as a pedagogical approach to teach nursing theory in a graduate theory course. Weekly concept map building increased student engagement and fostered theoretical thinking. Unexpectedly, this activity also benefited students through group work and its ability to enhance theory-practice knowledge.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 285 Old Westport Rd, North Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA. susan.hunterrevell@umassd.edu
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hunter Revell
mesh_terms: D003210:Concept Formation; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009742:Nursing Theory; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*