NASMvs CCNE Eval Comparison

McCrobie NASM vs. CCNE – Evaluation Comparison

McCrobie Letter of Inquiry



NASM vs. CCNE
AN EVALUATION COMPARISON




A term paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership course
ELSOL 732 Program Planning and Assessment-
Dr. Gary Goff


By


Lawrence V. McCrobie, B.A., MMC.



November 2016
University of the Cumberlands
























Table of Contents
Title Page i
Table of Contents iii
Chapter One - Introduction 1
Chapter Two – Literature Review 5
Chapter Three – Analysis 11
Chapter Four – Summary 13
References 14
















Chapter One
Introduction



Study purpose

Throughout the world, education is becoming very competitive, especially given the many courses that have been introduced. Students today are advantaged because they have a variety of classes to choose from. With the many courses being offered coupled with the many students that pursue each course, it is vital that standards are set for the micro-level assessment of the various courses. In this paper, there will be an evaluation of two academic programs including the National Association of Schools of Music and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. These two programs are the accreditation bodies of nurses and musicians.
Since there are many people out there practicing music and nursing, there is a likelihood of the loss of quality in the studies given and professionals produced. Standardization helps in ensuring the courses are not affected by inequity, irrationality, and inequality. This paper's aim is focusing on the micro-level evaluation process that is used in the assessment of groups of students and individuals that aspire to get into the competitive careers. The main areas of focus will be the educational goals of the two programs, the nature of the programs and the methods used for the assessment of the quality of the two programs.


Overview of the study

Music soothes the soul and communicates in ways that no one can with plain words. Over the years, there has been a significant development in the music industry. Consequently, many people are taking music course studies today more than ever. This calls for some regulation, which led to the formation of the National Association of Schools of Music. The aim of the institution was the advancement of music disciplines in the higher learning institutions of Europe and America. Through the creation of the higher standards of education, there will be the possibility of providing various forums and workshops for enabling the development and growth of the industry and music professionals (NASM, 2016). The membership of the organization is vast, comprising of approximately 642 institutions, which makes certification and standardization a necessity. When conducting an evaluation, it is much easier to evaluate small groups and individuals instead of organizations. This is because the small groups and individuals are usually geared towards a common end goal. These are the people that take part in all the processes that make up good music (NASM, 2016).
Today, the world is facing various world crises every day. There is always someone somewhere with ill-health that requires medical attention. Because of this, nurses have become an integral part of ensuring public health due to the noble role they play in health care. Consequently, more and more people are joining the nursing profession each day. The role of nurses in health care is significant, and this calls for their accreditation. The certification is important because it ensures the learners are equipped with the right skills and have the capacity to handle the public. This is where the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) comes in. The role of the body is to ensure that public health is continuously improved. As such CCNE is responsible for making sure that there is integrity and quality of the residency, graduate and baccalaureate programs in nursing. Therefore, the Commission plays a prominent role in upholding the interest of the public through the assessment and identification of the programs that may be used in the advancement of the educational programs (Aacn.nche.edu, 2016). Although nursing and music are different professions, there needs to be some evaluation of the content taught and accreditation of the learners to preserve quality and release the best professionals into the respective field.

Summary of the outcome

During the study where the two programs above were compared and contrasted, various conclusions were drawn. The first one is that whether it is music or nursing there needs to be a body in charge of standardizing the content taught in school. That is why music learners have NASM and nurses have CCNE. Both of these bodies are independent and are concerned with accrediting the aspiring professionals. This helps to ensure the right people are released into the professions. At the same time, quality is a major factor for both programs. Therefore, they have come up with various measures that help in producing the right professionals. One of the standard techniques used in both applications is the use of assessments. These evaluations are encouraged at the individual level as a way of evaluating the progress of the learner and preparing them for the real activities. The only difference comes in because nurses and musicians are very different. While musicians depend on their talents and interest in creating music, nurses, on the other hand, are needed to have the same knowledge and skills. Therefore, the types of the assessment conducted on the students differ, with those of nursing proving to be more uniform. Still, no matter the academic program and the presence of an accrediting body, tutors must ensure the quality of teaching given to students is of the highest quality and standard.

Chapter Two
Literature review



Educational goals of the programs

In each of the programs, there are set goals for the achievement of the purpose of the program. When teaching the programs, there are some standard goals that the individual is expected to achieve during the instructional period. Each of these goals becomes a guide for the individuals and groups to facilitate their learning and give them direction.
Clinical nursing has some goals used for guiding the students. The first one is the ability of the student to make use of the theory learned in class and apply to various situations of patient care using critical thinking skills. Nursing students are expected to use the skills gathered in class in the recognition and resolution of patient care problems. Additionally, they are to design therapeutic nursing interventions as well as conduct an evaluation of their effectiveness. At the same time, the nurses are supposed to develop the communication skills that will enable them to work with other healthcare providers, patients and their families (Samples.jbpub.com 2016, P.2).
Again, the nursing students are expected to develop an excellent demonstration of the safe application of therapeutic nursing interventions to provide patient care. They are also supposed to use research findings and evidence-based practices to design patient care. They must also be aware of ethical implications of their clinical decisions. To assess the progress of the students and the application of such knowledge, the students can be given an opportunity to put them into practice and their progress recorded (Samples.jbpub.com 2016, P.2).
When it comes to music, the education system is entirely different from that of nursing. In the profession, the learners are exposed to a diverse system that fulfills their tastes and various talents. Therefore, it is possible to base the program on the passions and talents of the students, thereby assisting them in the achievement of the desired professionalism. In music, it has been seen that the provision of a high-quality environment gives the institutions an opportunity for creating advanced educational experiences for the students (Rifai, 2016). Therefore, the jury approach may prove effective in the determination of the progress of the students. With such systems, students can be exposed to the pressures of the minor performances, which prepares them for greater performances and building their confidence. With such assessment approaches, the musical professionalism of the students can easily be assessed. This helps the educator to know the impact of what he/she taught (Rifai, 2016).

Ways of evaluating the students in the programs

Music is a different kind of profession. When doing an assessment, the first natural place to look at is the music that individuals offer. Music involves a combination of action and knowledge, which requires the people to take the time to bring their skills to perfection. As such, the first level of assessment can be done using a process of physical evaluation. These procedures may include asking them to play a particular instrument, musical piece, or performing a dance move that is in the curriculum. Through physical evaluation, the general knowledge of the student on music can be evaluated. At the same time, using the assessment processes, the students can rehearse, practice, as well as make corrections on the areas they are inadequate. At the same time, the evaluations are vital in helping them get ready for auditions. As such, the evaluations need to be done using an organized system that will enable efficiency (Chesky, 2011).
Unlike music, nursing does not depend on the skills and tastes of an individual. It involves all learners referring to the same script and receiving the same knowledge. Therefore, it is only up to the individual to grasp and understand the things taught in class. In nursing, it is about doing the same things to improve public health. They have to act on the human body, which is constant and the same, thus needs no different skills. Due to the rapid change in society, nursing education is undergoing significant modifications. Therefore, the teaching of nursing has been affected in many ways to ensure the knowledge the students are being given is up-to-date. In learning, assessment has always been an integral part because it helps in knowing the progress of the learners. For nursing students, giving them practical situations can assess them. This means putting them in the scenario where they can put the things they have learned into practice. This helps correct the misconceived knowledge they have in nursing as well as equip them with more skills. At the same time, these evaluation processes help prepare them for the real situation. Hence, when the time comes to dealing with the real patients, they are ready (Halarie, p. 3).



Ways of ensuring program quality

In the process of regulating the learning students receive in the schools, the two institutions have put measures in place to ensure that the quality of education given to the nurse and music learners is of high quality. For the nurses, the CCNE has come up with different ways of ensuring the quality of education the nurse students get is of high standards that will make the assets in maintaining public health. The institution provides quality through program delivery, the curriculum, institutional commitment and offering the necessary resources (Aacn.nche.edu 2016, p.9). When it comes to application delivery, CCNE ensures only eligible participants are admitted. At the same time, it provides that educators have the appropriate experience and education needed to meet the outcomes of the program. Consequently, the institution allows the educators to participate in various activities of professional development. It has also aligned the educators to their responsibilities and roles about the program (Aacn.nche.edu 2016, p.9).
CCNE also ensures quality in the program through institutional commitment and resources. The first way of doing this is through a partnership with academic nursing programs. They also provide the resources and fiscal necessary for helping the program achieve its expected outcomes, goals, and mission. Additionally, they regularly review the resources to make the needed improvements and revisions. The healthcare organization also implements an academic progression policy necessary for the promotion of the attainment of a graduate or baccalaureate degree in nursing for the students in the resident program. At the same time, it ensures there is the right number of staff that provides the goals, missions and expected outcomes of the program are achieved (Aacn.nche.edu 2016, p.11).
When it comes to the quality of the nurse education received by the learners, the CCNE ensures there is a curriculum that provides professionalism in the leadership and role nurses in the delivery of patient care. The first role here is to equip the students with the skills and knowledge needed in making sure there are safety and quality. They are therefore fitted with the skills that will help them to deliver patient care safely in a manner that ensures quality patient outcomes. Through all this, the institution monitors the curriculum that is used in teaching student learners to uphold safety and quality in healthcare delivery (Aacn.nche.edu 2016, p.13).
The quality of music produced by different players in the industry also matters just like that of nursing. Although each player makes his/her music based on their tastes and preferences, the program has to ensure that each maintains the quality of music they play. Music is an art and just like other forms of art; quality is crucial. Therefore, although music may serve an individual function, the artistic quality of the music is also essential. It is thus embedded by a particular degree of freedom and accuracy (7). Musicians can create music using improvisation, performance, as well as composition. In the art of music making, a great deal of creativity is involved. To produce original music, the musician must develop the capacity to critically and imaginatively use musical the appropriate vocabulary. The work of a musician is physical but also creative and intellectual. A piece of art's aesthetic value is in the produced work. Thus no universally acceptable definition of musical quality is available. Hence, to develop artistic qualitative standards, this is done within the traditions of music (12). However, at the higher education level, there are some characteristics used in music for quality assurance. As such, there are methods that can be used in ensuring quality in the music content created. The first is respecting the nature of music and the content as well as the relationship they have to train and educate at the professional level of music. The second is recognizing the basic training and education characteristics. This is created through supporting the curricula including private lessons, courses, ensembles and final projects including compositions and recitals. It also involves understanding the necessity of the resources needed to study music. This involves having the understanding of the group and individual responsibilities when it comes to developing the quality of music. High quality is ensured through maximizing evaluation methods and systems that are constant with music nature (17).

Chapter Three
Analysis



National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)

Music is a vital part of society, especially for Americans. The content of music is used in remembering the past and connecting it to the future. The analysis above has been on the evaluation of music at the micro-level. In this case, NASM is the accreditation body for musicians to ensure the music learners deliver the best to the public. It is an organization responsible for the provision of a standard platform for the people involved in the Western Music Culture. The analysis showed that provides the guidelines that are responsible for helping the musicians to get quality education throughout their music studies from the lowest to the lowest levels (NASM, 2016). Through NASM, the knowledge and skills of the musicians are strengthened to inspire, motivate and help them in the determination of their musical composition. Many teaching techniques exist worldwide for music. However, the focus of NASM is the educational substance and musical content used in the training and preparation of the musicians at the highest levels of musical education (NASM, 2016).
The organization therefore only strives to work with the best. This calls for the musicians to be able to meet the organization's standards. The student is expected to understand their career path and push themselves beyond their limits to become the best. Although the standards that have been set by NASM are very high, some rewards also come with them (Chesky, 2011). The organization, therefore, engages in activities of assessment and evaluation of the individual musicians, which helps in maintaining the quality of the music and improves the skills of the musician. The study has revealed that micro-level evaluation is the best because it focuses on the individual and small groups, which helps nurture them to the conventional standards.

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

Although music is an important part of society, nursing is the backbone of the things happening in society. Nurses are responsible for maintaining public health by reducing the disease burden in the population. Due to the significant role played by the nurses in society, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education was established. CCNE is an autonomous agency responsible for accrediting nurses. Although the accreditation provided by CCNE is voluntary and self-regulatory, the organization still supports and encourages nursing education programs to conduct self-assessments in a way that will promote growth among their students. The function of the body is accrediting graduate and bachelor's degree education programs (CCNE, 2015). The principal purpose of the commission is thus to ensure that integrity and quality are maintained in the residency and baccalaureate nursing programs. It thus serves the interest of the public through the assessment and the identification of programs that take part in educational practices that are effective. Therefore, the commission works on supporting the continuous evaluation of the nursing programs to ensure the practices used are effective. With their efforts, nursing programs can produce the most qualified nurses that will help improve public health (Aacn.nche.edu, 2016).

Chapter Four
Summary



Looking at the above analysis, one thing has come out. Clearly, accreditation is an important part of every profession whether in the arts or sciences. For instance, even though music is an art, without a body that is responsible for it, quality may be compromised. This is where the function of NASM comes in to ensure the quality of the musical content produced. At the same time, in nursing, to ensure the quality of the education being given to the students is the right one, CCNE was formulated as an independent body that is concerned with the improvement of public health. It has thus put measures in place that help in the assessment of the practices in nursing education. The another similarity is in the assessment practices. In both of the programs, the assessment can be done at the individual level using various techniques to help the student become better. However, the main difference seen is that it may not easy to define quality in music because it largely depends on the individual's tastes and talents. In nursing, however, the knowledge and skills the student receives is uniform for all students, making it easier to come up with the desired students.


References
CCNE 2016, American Association of Colleges of Nursing " Mission, Values, & History.
Viewed on 29 November 2016 at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ccne-accreditation/about/mission-values-history

CCNE 2015, Standards for Accreditation of Entry-To-Practice Nurse Residency
Programs. Viewed on 29 November 2016 at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ccne-accreditation/CCNE-Entry-to-Practice-Residency-Standards-2015.pdf

Chesky, K 2011, Schools of music and conservatories and hearing loss prevention.
International Journal of Audiology, s32-s37

Halarie, 2007, Teaching and assessing in nursing: A worth remembering educational
experience. Health Science Journal.

NASM 2016, About NASM. Retrieved from an NASM-accredit. Organization Website:
https://nasm.arts-accredit.org/publications/msma-project/quality-assurance-accreditation-evaluation/

Ssamples.jbpub.com. (2016). Goals of clinical nursing education. Viewed on 29
November 2016 at http://samples.jbpub.com/9780763772246/9780763772246_CH01_PASS02.pdf

Rifai, A. (2016). Learning through Immersive Study: Contextualizing Music in the
Elementary Music Classroom. Music Educators Journal, 34-40.

Compare & contrast 2 academic programs: 1
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McCrobie NASM vs. CCNE – Evaluation Comparison