Abstract:

Human cognition is shaped by the ways in which individuals perceive and interpret surrounding stimuli. Within this framework, teachers play a crucial role in fostering students’ awareness of how information is perceived, organized, and processed. These perceptions influence cognitive processes, shape how conclusions are drawn, and ultimately affect decision-making. This study explores the use of field notes per image accompanying student-produced images in a clinical setting as an innovative assessment strategy in higher education. The research also seeks to deepen understanding of the methodology by considering the cyclical nature of the research process and by engaging students as active participants in the investigation. Grounded in the principles of Action Research, the study aims to contribute to the improvement of educational practices in clinical teaching.

The research was conducted at an Academic Nursing Unit of the University of Minho, Braga, Portugal, with a sample of 21 second-year students enrolled in the specialization course “Breastfeeding and Social Sustainability”. Participants were predominantly Portuguese middle-class students aged between 40 and 41 years. The study adopted a qualitative approach supported by descriptive quantitative data. Two separate analyses were conducted and later combined to establish the validation of the new assessment method. In the first analysis, the researcher assumed a dual role (teacher–researcher) and conducted participant observation. The second analysis, involving the same sample of 21 individuals from the original cohort (95% confidence level), aimed to assess students’ acceptance of the method. Data collection was carried out through a questionnaire containing both open-ended and multiple-choice questions.

The results indicate that most students demonstrated awareness of the learning process and supported the validation of the proposed assessment method in higher education. It was possible to confirm that the implementation of field notes per image was a pedagogical strategy that allowed students to demonstrate the extent of their learning and articulate more effectively what they had internalized throughout the learning program. In fact, a large majority of participants identified the “commitment involved in implementing this learning strategy” as the most important factor in their analysis. Furthermore, the development of critical thinking emerged as a key outcome of the study. Students’ learning attitudes revealed a reflective stance and recognition of personal boundaries, strengths, and shortcomings. In this context, emotional strain is transformed into creative tension, enabling frustrations and challenges to become opportunities for growth.

In this respect, almost all participants (95.24%) considered the methodology a stimulus for the development of critical thinking and reported increased commitment to learning the techniques. The findings suggest that the use of field notes per image enables students to construct meaning from visual stimuli, fostering reflective learning and supporting the development of critical thinking in clinical education.

Keywords:

Clinical learning, innovation, Critical Thinking, Field notes per image.