Nurse = Critical Thinker......

[RED1984]

If I am struggling (borderline failing) with "Art Appreciation" (online course) will I struggle with Nursing School??

I e-mailed my Art instructor to let her know that I wasn't grasping the concepts of the course material and that I was having difficulty referencing the test questions back to the assigned text.....

This is the email reply from my instructor:

"The course is a course that stresses critical thinking as opposed to "fact-based" courses. For that reason students who are in curricula that is heavy in the fact-based study - math, science, business etc. usually struggle with the idea that answers come through a reasoning ability. Unfortunately, education in the lower grades stress facts not thinking these days. This is why I think you struggle.

In order to study the arts it is necessary to approach it in this manner for you are learning about creative ideas and the creative process. You are also learning about the relationship of the arts with all that goes on in a society. You can' teach these ideas with facts only.

So I propose you don't read and study your book for test information, but rather for giving you a foundation from which you can learn to "REASON" your answers."

I really didn't want to take "Art Appreciation" as my elective to satisfy my degree plan; I wanted to take "Ethics" but it wasn't being offered this semester and I really wanted to complete all of my non-nursing courses prior to beginning the RN program this fall.

So far, I have maintained a 4.0 GPA (A&P I and II, Microbiology, Psychology, Human Lifespan, Nutrition, Intermediate and College Algebra) It is HIGHLY UNLIKELY that I will achieve an "A" in Art.... best possible scenario- I'll get a "B" if I complete all of the extra credit assignments.

Should I just say "screw it." and drop the course now? I can take the Ethics class sometime within the next 2 years during the program.... I don't want to give up but at the same time I don't want an unnecessary drop in GPA.

My long term goal is to be a CRNA or to attend med school and become a Pediatrician. I need to maintain my 4.0 right??

Any input would be appreciated!!

(Oh, please don't get me wrong- I like art, I like to look at it etc... but I find this class useless)

[RED1984, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

needles to say, i never took an art class during my nursing program, this art class must be a requirement after my time...therefore, i wish you the best.....aloha~

thank you gitanorn

art isn't a requirement per say :)

but, a humanities elective (art, ethics, religion...) is... and art appreciation is the only option i had for the summer semester...

[umbdude, MSN, APRN]

I think you should drop the class if it's going to bring down your GPA. On the other hand, you should do fine in nursing school if your sciences are okay.

I think your instructor does have a good point though. The "thinking" that is needed in science courses is basically learning the techniques and apply them to solve problems. We're usually given x and y, and ask to find z. Critical thinking is a bit different. You assess the evidence, assumptions, and implications, then build an argument or offer alternatives. Answers aren't absolute like those in sciences/math, which led to the misconception that it's subjective. I guess that science would require this type of thinking when you reach a higher level and in research. I know that business requires this kind of skill when you're performing research; non-research workers, which are usually at lower level in an organization, typically are the problem-solvers.

If you're going to continue with the class, asking her about the framework used to answer questions might be helpful. You can't always find answers within a text, but you can learn how to methodically think through the questions. For example, when analyzing literature you can build a framework (getting background info on characters, historical context, author, symbols, themes etc.) and offer your argument or conclusions around them. You might be able to do the same with art.

[RED1984, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

UPDATE:::

I passed ART with a 93% (A)

:w00t:

now, onto my English and Speech classes in Summer II.... and finally....begin my journey to RN at the end of August