Wednesday, December 3, 2003
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Wednesday, December 3, 2003 |
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Local professor publishes textbook Peachtree City resident Dr. Lisa Eichelberger, professor of Nursing in Clayton State’s School of Health Sciences, recently published a textbook entitled “Understanding the Work of Nurse Theorists: A Creative Beginning.” A revolutionary teaching tool, this textbook promises to make nursing theory courses more interactive by incorporating various forms of art such as pointillism, origami and mandalas. Coauthored with Kathy Sitzman of Utah’s Weber State University, the textbook uses art to teach nurses, especially novice nurses, the often daunting task of learning Rogerian theory and 22 other nursing theories. Eichelberger and Sitzman open a creative side to nursing theory - one that makes learning a little less daunting, and a lot more innovative. “We know from educational psychology and pedagogy that we turn many students off with only one or two types of traditional teaching styles,” said Eichelberger, who conducted a six-year study of Clayton State health science students and found that 80 percent preferred “right brain” creative teaching to traditional instruction. “We wanted to make theory come alive for them.” Eichelberger's textbook has also been adopted by Clayton State Associate Professor of Nursing Dr. Astrid Wilson for use in the University's entry-level health sciences courses. Continuing in the vein of innovative teaching, Eichelberger recently received and accepted an invitation to give the luncheon address at the International Society of Rogerian Scholars Annual Symposia. Her topic, “Using Art to Teach Theory,” was well received. “It was overwhelming! The elite of nursing theory were at this meeting and they were so positive,” said Eichelberger of the outpouring of support at the symposia. Eichelberger recalled a Japanese nursing theorist who praised her use of origami, an Emory professor who applauded her use of mandalas as a teaching tool, and a Columbia University professor, who, impressed by the presentation, suggested that Eichelberger present at a theory seminar she was coordinating at New York University over the summer. What’s her favorite innovative teaching style for nursing theory? Eichelberger especially likes using mandalas, circular designs prevalent in Christianity, Buddhism, and nature, to illustrate midrange theories. Eichelberger teaches Interactive Communication, Organizational Transitions, and Informatics electives at Clayton State. She has been a nurse for 28 years, is married and has five children. Creative even outside of the classroom, Eichelberger enjoys French hand sewing, smocking, and knitting. She is also Internet savvy, managing a popular international nursing theory website through which she met her textbook coauthor, Sitzman. To learn more about Eichelberger's
textbook and how it can change the way beginning nursing students learn
theory, visit http://nursing.jbpub.com and click on “Understanding
the Work of Nurse Theorists: A Creative Beginning.”
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