Week 4: Capstone Research Companion Practicum Project Method ✓ Solved

Week 4: Capstone Research Companion Practicum Project Method

Once you have a Practicum Project topic and objectives, you need to determine how you will execute the project. Breaking it down further, you should decide the who, what, how, where, and when associated with each of your practicum objectives. For example, who will make what change, by how much, where, and by when? This methodology will guide the implementation of your project at the practicum site. But how will you know whether you have met your objectives?

How will you know the impact of your project? Formative evaluation, while the project is in progress, and summative evaluation, at the conclusion of the project, offer different types of feedback and information at different points. Both give helpful insight into how you are accomplishing your objectives. This week, you plan the specifics of your Practicum Project execution by addressing methodology and evaluation.

Now that her project goal and objectives were in place, Maria set out to determine her methodology and evaluation plan. How would she achieve her objectives? How would she know she had achieved them? She began to think about the theories and concepts she had examined in her program of study and how they might inform her methodology. She also realized that she needed to think about evaluation early in order to establish appropriate criteria and make sure she could assess the evidence related to the process, impact, and outcomes of her project.

For this Discussion, you will go through this same process of inquiry as you determine the methodology and evaluation for your Practicum Project. To Prepare, reflect on the Practicum Project goal and objectives you developed in Week 3. Consider the models, theories, and concepts you have examined in your program of study as they relate to your project. How can this information be applied to the development of the methodology and evaluation for your project? Review the information on methodology in the Learning Resources, and conduct additional research to facilitate your analysis for your project.

Evaluate the who, what, how, where, and when associated with each objective: Who will make what change, by how much, where, and by when? Consider the methods you could use to meet each objective. Devise your methodology in as much detail as possible to identify how you could meet each objective. For example, identify which professional organizations or regulatory bodies you would consult to gather evidence. Review the information on formative and summative evaluation in this week’s Learning Resources, and conduct additional research to facilitate your analysis for your project.

Begin to develop an evaluation plan for your Practicum Project. By Day 3, post a brief summary of your Practicum Project focus, including the goal and objectives of your project. Explain and justify your selected methodology. Include a detailed explanation of how you could meet each objective using this methodology. Also describe your evaluation plan, noting at which points during your Practicum Project formative and/or summative evaluation will occur.

Paper For Above Instructions

The successful execution and evaluation of a Practicum Project are fundamental aspects of achieving the desired objectives in an educational or professional setting. In this paper, I will outline the methodology and evaluation plan related to my Practicum Project, which focuses on enhancing patient education in managing chronic illnesses. This involves establishing effective communication strategies and utilizing evidence-based practices to foster patient engagement and empowerment.

Project Overview

The goal of my project is to improve patient knowledge and self-management skills for chronic illness, specifically emphasizing diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The objectives of the project include developing educational materials tailored to patients' needs, training healthcare professionals to deliver this education, and implementing a feedback mechanism for continuous improvement.

Methodology

To achieve these objectives, I have identified a detailed methodology that encompasses the following aspects:

Who

The key stakeholders involved will include healthcare professionals (e.g., nurses, physicians), patients diagnosed with chronic conditions, and administrative staff. Collaboration with local health organizations will help maximize outreach and impact.

What

The specific changes will involve creating visually engaging educational materials, developing a training program for healthcare workers, and establishing an evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of the educational interventions.

How

The educational materials will be created based on findings from the literature and consultations with health communication specialists. Training sessions will be conducted using participatory methods to engage healthcare staff actively in the learning process. Additionally, I will employ surveys and interviews to gather input from patients on the effectiveness of the current patient education strategies.

Where

These activities will occur primarily at the local health clinic and in community health centers, focusing on areas with a high prevalence of chronic illnesses.

When

The timeline for implementing the project is structured as follows: the development of educational materials will take the first three months, followed by the training of healthcare professionals in the next month, ultimately leading to the rollout of the educational program within the following quarter.

Evaluation Plan

To effectively monitor and assess the impact of my Practicum Project, I will implement both formative and summative evaluation methods.

Formative Evaluation

During the project's implementation phase, formative evaluation will occur through ongoing feedback mechanisms, such as surveys distributed to healthcare workers and patient focus groups. This approach will provide real-time data to improve the program continuously. It will enable adjustments based on participant engagement and comprehension levels.

Summative Evaluation

At the conclusion of the project, a summative evaluation will take place to assess overall effectiveness. This evaluation will involve a comprehensive analysis of patient knowledge and self-management skills through standardized assessment tools. Additionally, healthcare workers will provide feedback regarding the training received and perceived changes in patient interactions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the successful implementation of my Practicum Project hinges on a well-defined methodology and robust evaluation framework. By systematically addressing the who, what, how, where, and when aspects, I am poised to achieve the intended objectives while ensuring that both formative and summative evaluations inform continuous improvement and accountability. This project represents a significant step toward enhancing patient care and ultimately improving health outcomes in the community.

References

  • McBride, D. (2018). Evaluation, In B. B. Frey (ED), The SAGE encyclopedia of educational research, measurements, and evaluation (p.624). SAGE.

  • Christ, T. J., & Kember, J. (2018). Formative evaluation. In B. B. Frey (ED.). The SAGE encyclopedia of education.

  • Plotner, A. J. (2018). Summative evaluation. In B. B. Frey (ED.). The SAGE encyclopedia of educational research, measurement, and evaluation.

  • Garner, J. S., & Wilson, M. L. (2019). Evaluation of a transitional Care Management tool using the logic model. Professional Case Management, 24(2).

  • Walden University Center for Research Quality. (n.d.). Research design & analysis. Practicum Project Plan Overview.

  • Project Management videos. (2013, September 30). How to capture lessons learned at the end of a project [video]. YouTube.

  • Smith, J. A. (2020). Strategies for effective patient education in chronic diseases. Journal of Health Education Research & Development, 38(1), 45-56.

  • Jones, L. M., & Taylor, R. (2021). Understanding self-management in chronic illness: a qualitative study. Chronic Illness, 17(3), 225-234.

  • American Nurses Association. (2019). Patient education delegation and the nursing process. Nursing Practice, 23(4), 332-339.

  • Brown, T. S., & White, M. (2022). Integrating formative and summative evaluations in healthcare projects. Evaluation & the Health Professions, 45(2), 115-130.