Facilitating diversity of thought in learning environments for nursing students

Abstract

Human capital development is one of the goals of higher education and a decrease in open dialogue threatens these ideals and aspirations. A recent survey of undergraduate students showed that many students censor their point of view. There are many potential reasons for this, but it could be secondary to the current sociopolitical climate. Having educators who encourage and model open dialogue while supporting diversity of thought would provide alternative perspectives and innovation. Encouraging diversity of thought will enhance understanding of other's perspectives and unleash creative problem solving to address concerns in nursing practice and facilitate innovative research. The purpose of this article is to present strategies that can be employed to promote diversity of thought among nursing students in a learning environment. Exemplars are presented illustrating some of the strategies discussed.

Keywords: Critical thinking; Diversity of thought; Learning environments; Open dialogue.