From metacognition to practice cognition: The DNP e-portfolio to promote integrated learning

Background: Educating Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students for an increasingly complex health care environment requires novel applications of learning concepts and technology. A deliberate and thoughtful process is required to integrate concepts of the DNP program into practice paradigm changes to subsequently improve students’ abilities to innovate solutions to complex practice problems. Method: The authors constructed or participated in electronic portfolio development inspired by theories of metacognition and integrated learning. The objective was to develop DNP student’s reflection, integration of concepts, and technological capabilities to foster the deliberative competencies related to the DNP Essentials and the foundations of the DNP program. Results: The pedagogical process demonstrates how e-portfolios adapted into the doctoral-level curriculum for DNP students can address the Essentials and foster the development of metacognitive capabilities, which translates into practice changes. Conclusion: The authors suggest that this pedagogical approach has the potential to optimize reflective and deliberative competencies among DNP students.