The Institute for Educational Excellence (IEE) at Duke University School of Nursing (DUSON) reflects the renaissance in the higher education community regarding the formation of pedagogical scholars, the preparation of faculty for the teaching role and the need for evidence-based teaching practices.
The IEE is responsible for collaborating with the School’s Director of Faculty Affairs to coordinate the orientation of all new full-time faculty. The IEE also collaborates with the full-time Clinical Nurse Educators and others in the ABSN and MSN programs to plan and implement orientation programs for clinical instructors and preceptors, and it offers programs and a variety of resources to enhance the pedagogical expertise of all nurse educators.
The overarching purpose of the Institute was, and still is, to facilitate ongoing transformation in the pedagogy used in nursing education and to prepare faculty to be leaders in nursing education in order to prepare nurse clinicians and scientists to meet the rapidly changing needs of individuals, families and communities with complex health care problems. The IEE is led by a director who is a full-time, regular-ranked faculty member.
The specific goals of the IEE are as follows:
- Prepare master teachers who design, implement, and evaluate academic programs that prepare graduates as outstanding clinicians, scholars and leaders in the field of nursing
- Develop faculty to serve as nursing education leaders and pedagogical scholars who transform nursing education nationally and globally
- Sustain the Duke University School of Nursing as a center of teaching excellence known for its innovative academic programs, commitment to interprofessional education, conduct of transformative educational research, commitment to the ongoing development of educators, and exceptional graduates.
- Sustain a culture of excellence and innovation as well as a community of learning, where faculty continually seek to become more effective and innovative teachers who serve as role models for students who, themselves, are becoming lifelong learners committed to excellence
- Contribute to the development of the science of nursing education
Mission, Vision and Core Values
Mission: To meet the needs of a changing health care system, nurses must be prepared as clinicians who can exert transformative leadership, and faculty teaching in academic institutions must have the pedagogical knowledge and skills to design, implement and evaluate programs that will prepare such leaders. The Institute for Educational Excellence exists, therefore, to prepare nurse educators to be leaders and scholars in nursing education so their excellence and innovation effectively prepares students to be skilled clinicians, effective members of interdisciplinary teams and leaders in the field.
Vision: The Institute for Educational Excellence envisions a future where all those teaching in nursing programs possess the knowledge, skills and values needed to transform nursing education by establishing learning communities where teachers and learners co-create student-centered, evidence-based, educationally-sound, innovative and technology-rich programs that reflect a commitment to excellence. This preferred future also envisions the Duke University School of Nursing as the premier leader in modeling standards for other schools regarding educational innovation and excellence, thereby transforming nursing education nationally and globally.
Core Values: To promote transformative teaching, the Institute for Educational Excellence is built on a set of values that serve to guide the work of those striving to fulfill its mission. Those core values are respect for the dignity and worth of all human beings, excellence, integrity, innovation, intellectual rigor, evidence-based practice, the transformative power of technology, a willingness to embrace change and lifelong learning.
