title: Facilitating the development of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) of novice nursing postgraduates in Africa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  International research in nursing education has shown to be deficient regarding both the quality of research produced and the building of disciplinary capacity. The CHENMA (Collaboration for Higher Education of Nurses and Midwives in Africa) project aimed to strengthen nursing and midwifery expertise in Africa. Sixteen French-speaking students of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) enrolled for a master's degree in nursing midwifery at a South African university in 2008. Ten of the initial 16 students graduated with a master's degree in 2012. One student withdrew and five students completed a postgraduate diploma in midwifery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this paper is to explore the quality of the output of those master's degree students, namely their dissertation (with specific reference to the demonstration of HOTS).
  
  
  METHODS
  An exploratory, evaluative, single, descriptive case study was utilised. Realist, purposeful sampling was used. Six of the 10 completed final dissertations were evaluated as well as three reflective reports from the supervisor, translator and critical reader.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings indicated that most dissertations fell below the expected standard, with a paucity of higher-order thinking and application skills. Language, and possibly cultural dynamics, seemed to be the largest barrier to learning and communication. The dissertations lacked conceptual skills, scientific writing skills, logical order of thought and congruency. Analysis of the dissertations revealed a limited ability of novice scholars to explore the nature of information and to interpret and manipulate the data in a novel way.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Studies, University of South Africa, South Africa. Electronic address: roetsl@unisa.ac.za.
authors.forename: Lizeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Roets
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Studies, University of South Africa, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jeanette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maritz
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D055318:Evidence-Based Nursing / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000193:education*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D013850:Thinking; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Higher order thinking skills; Young nurse postgraduates