Research and Evidence-Based Practice
At Brigham Young University, Inspiring Learning is an initiative that encourages significant hands-on opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in faculty research or projects which contribute to the discipline. One-on-one or small group mentoring sessions with faculty members give undergraduates an educational experience that is typically only available in graduate school. Instead of striving to become a major research university, BYU has a goal to become the best undergraduate teaching university in the nation, and undergraduate mentored learning has become a significant component of achieving this goal.
To create additional opportunities, the BYU College of Nursing established a $1 million endowed fund campaign in 2016; current amount is $572,000. The interest from this fund is allocated for college grants to hire research assistants or find ways to include students in faculty research or contribution to the discipline projects.
Below are examples of how faculty members have used mentored learning to enhance the education of nursing students: