{"id":27,"date":"2026-02-18T17:55:42","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T22:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/apncurriculum\/chapter\/curriculum-core-concepts\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T16:06:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T21:06:21","slug":"curriculum-core-concepts","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/apncurriculum\/chapter\/curriculum-core-concepts\/","title":{"raw":"Curriculum Core Concepts","rendered":"Curriculum Core Concepts"},"content":{"raw":"This curriculum builds on several key educational and nursing concepts, including caring, the progression from novice to expert, constructivist theory,\u00a0and instructional scaffolding.\n

Caring<\/h1>\nThe idea of caring is central to the curriculum. Practical nurses foster client empowerment in care planning and clinical decision making, and are cognizant of their unique biological, psychosocial, spiritual, cultural, and environmental complexity. Practical nurses care for clients across the lifespan, providing safe, competent, and ethical care through critical thinking and clinical judgment.\u202f As part of the interprofessional team, practical nurses contribute to client care through strong practical and technical skills.\u202f Thus, the curriculum supports a deliberate, client-focused approach and fosters the development of a conscious relationship with the client.\n

Progression from Novice to Expert<\/h1>\nBenner\u2019s[footnote]Benner, P. (1984). From novice to expert: Excellence and power in clinical nursing practice. <\/em>Addison\u2010Wesley.[\/footnote],<\/sup>[footnote]Benner, P. (2005). Using the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition to describe and interpret skill acquisition and clinical judgement in nursing practice and education. Bulletin of Science, Technology and Science Special Issue: Human Expertise in the Age of the Computer, 24<\/em>(3), 188-199. [\/footnote] five stages from novice to expert supports the notion that proficiency in a particular role is a progressive process and a function of time, experience, influences, encouragement, and feedback. The author\u202f describes the progression one makes in a staged manner from novice to advanced beginner to competent to proficient and then achieving the expert stage. Progression through each stage is on a continuum, and changes in environment or circumstance may result in a potentially short-lived regression.\n\nWhile commonly used in the context of developing clinical expertise, Benner\u2019s theory is interpreted by Evans and Donnelly[footnote]Evans, R. J. & Donnelly, G. W. (2006), A Model to Describe the Relationship between Knowledge, Skill, and Judgment in Nursing Practice. Nursing Forum, 41<\/em>, 150-157.[\/footnote] as applicable to the knowledge, skill, and judgment acquired by student nurses during their nursing education, which also progress through the same stages. Skills are not applied context\u2010free but are always supported by knowledge acquired through education. Subsequently, Benner, Sutphen, Leonard, and Day suggest that improved integration of cognitive learning, skilled know\u2010how, and ethical reflection will result in \u201cinstruction more consistent with the complexities of nursing practice.\u201d[footnote]Benner, P., Sutphen, M., Leonard, V., & Day, L. (2010). Educating Nurses: A call for radical transformation. <\/em>Jossey\u2010Bass, p. 39.[\/footnote]\n

Constructivism<\/h1>\nThe curriculum also builds on the theory of constructivism, in which knowledge is constructed and all learning is connected. Constructed knowledge is always open to change as connections are continuously made to previous and new learning experiences. As well, constructivism offers a lens that views culture as being enacted relationally through history, experience, gender, and social position. A curriculum based on constructivism focuses on helping learners interpret and make meaning of knowledge and experiences, and encourages self-reflection of that interpretation.[footnote]Haw, M. A. (2006). Learning theories applied to nursing curriculum development. In S.B. Keating (Ed.), Curriculum development and evaluation in nursing.<\/em> Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, 49-60.[\/footnote]\n

Scaffolding<\/h1>\nThe curriculum incorporates the idea of scaffolding, articulated by Wood, Bruner, and Ross, who defined it as a process by which a novice is able \u201cto solve a problem, carry out a task or achieve a goal that would be beyond [their] unassisted efforts\u201d.[footnote]Wood, D., Bruner, J. S., & Ross, G. (1976). The role of tutoring in problem solving. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry<\/em>,\u00a017<\/em>(2), 89-100.[\/footnote] The scaffolds, which can be provided by a teacher or another more experienced peer, allow the learner to gradually achieve mastery of the task or goal. Throughout all levels of the curriculum, learners are guided and supported as they gradually build the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to meet the entry-level competencies.","rendered":"

This curriculum builds on several key educational and nursing concepts, including caring, the progression from novice to expert, constructivist theory,\u00a0and instructional scaffolding.<\/p>\n

Caring<\/h1>\n

The idea of caring is central to the curriculum. Practical nurses foster client empowerment in care planning and clinical decision making, and are cognizant of their unique biological, psychosocial, spiritual, cultural, and environmental complexity. Practical nurses care for clients across the lifespan, providing safe, competent, and ethical care through critical thinking and clinical judgment.\u202f As part of the interprofessional team, practical nurses contribute to client care through strong practical and technical skills.\u202f Thus, the curriculum supports a deliberate, client-focused approach and fosters the development of a conscious relationship with the client.<\/p>\n

Progression from Novice to Expert<\/h1>\n

Benner\u2019s[1]<\/sup><\/a>,<\/sup>[2]<\/sup><\/a> five stages from novice to expert supports the notion that proficiency in a particular role is a progressive process and a function of time, experience, influences, encouragement, and feedback. The author\u202f describes the progression one makes in a staged manner from novice to advanced beginner to competent to proficient and then achieving the expert stage. Progression through each stage is on a continuum, and changes in environment or circumstance may result in a potentially short-lived regression.<\/p>\n

While commonly used in the context of developing clinical expertise, Benner\u2019s theory is interpreted by Evans and Donnelly[3]<\/sup><\/a> as applicable to the knowledge, skill, and judgment acquired by student nurses during their nursing education, which also progress through the same stages. Skills are not applied context\u2010free but are always supported by knowledge acquired through education. Subsequently, Benner, Sutphen, Leonard, and Day suggest that improved integration of cognitive learning, skilled know\u2010how, and ethical reflection will result in \u201cinstruction more consistent with the complexities of nursing practice.\u201d[4]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Constructivism<\/h1>\n

The curriculum also builds on the theory of constructivism, in which knowledge is constructed and all learning is connected. Constructed knowledge is always open to change as connections are continuously made to previous and new learning experiences. As well, constructivism offers a lens that views culture as being enacted relationally through history, experience, gender, and social position. A curriculum based on constructivism focuses on helping learners interpret and make meaning of knowledge and experiences, and encourages self-reflection of that interpretation.[5]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Scaffolding<\/h1>\n

The curriculum incorporates the idea of scaffolding, articulated by Wood, Bruner, and Ross, who defined it as a process by which a novice is able \u201cto solve a problem, carry out a task or achieve a goal that would be beyond [their] unassisted efforts\u201d.[6]<\/sup><\/a> The scaffolds, which can be provided by a teacher or another more experienced peer, allow the learner to gradually achieve mastery of the task or goal. Throughout all levels of the curriculum, learners are guided and supported as they gradually build the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to meet the entry-level competencies.<\/p>\n

  1. Benner, P. (1984). From novice to expert: Excellence and power in clinical nursing practice. <\/em>Addison\u2010Wesley. ↵<\/a><\/li>
  2. Benner, P. (2005). Using the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition to describe and interpret skill acquisition and clinical judgement in nursing practice and education. Bulletin of Science, Technology and Science Special Issue: Human Expertise in the Age of the Computer, 24<\/em>(3), 188-199. ↵<\/a><\/li>
  3. Evans, R. J. & Donnelly, G. W. (2006), A Model to Describe the Relationship between Knowledge, Skill, and Judgment in Nursing Practice. Nursing Forum, 41<\/em>, 150-157. ↵<\/a><\/li>
  4. Benner, P., Sutphen, M., Leonard, V., & Day, L. (2010). Educating Nurses: A call for radical transformation. <\/em>Jossey\u2010Bass, p. 39. ↵<\/a><\/li>
  5. Haw, M. A. (2006). Learning theories applied to nursing curriculum development. In S.B. Keating (Ed.), Curriculum development and evaluation in nursing.<\/em> Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, 49-60. ↵<\/a><\/li>
  6. Wood, D., Bruner, J. S., & Ross, G. (1976). The role of tutoring in problem solving. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry<\/em>,\u00a017<\/em>(2), 89-100. ↵<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":123,"menu_order":5,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-27","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":18,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/apncurriculum\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/27","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/apncurriculum\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/apncurriculum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/apncurriculum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/123"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/apncurriculum\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/27\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/apncurriculum\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/27\/revisions\/28"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/apncurriculum\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/18"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/apncurriculum\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/27\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/apncurriculum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/apncurriculum\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=27"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/apncurriculum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=27"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/apncurriculum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=27"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}