A FRAMEWORK FOR A PROCESS-DRIVEN COMMON FOUNDATION PROGRAM FOR GRADUATES

This paper discusses some of the problems encountered in writing a sho rtened Common Foundation Programme in nursing for graduates, and outli nes a course which takes as its starting point the particular educatio nal needs and requirements of the student group. Thus, the first quest ion to be addressed by the curriculum writers when designing the cours e was ''How can we teach these students?'', rather than '' What can we teach them?''. The resulting process-driven course is heavily influen ced by the student-centred philosophy of Carl Rogers, and utilizes a v ariety of large- and small-group methods to facilitate the students in gradually taking responsibility for, and making decisions about, thei r learning needs. The paper continues with some strategies for ensurin g a smooth transition from a tutor-led, syllabus-driven start to the c ourse, to a student-led, process-driven finish for both the theoretica l and clinical components, and for the assessment schedule. Finally, a student-centred approach to evaluation is briefly outlined, and the p aper concludes by suggesting that the principles employed in designing and implementing this course could be successfully transferred to a w ide variety of other educational settings.