There has been considerable attention within the nursing research and education literature about creating a research culture. Yet, there is little attention to a culture of scholarship. Given the characteristics of nursing as a professional academic discipline, academic leaders should present a broad vision of scholarship and encourage a wide range of inquiry. Boyer's (1997) expanded definition of scholarship includes four dimensions: discovery, integration, application, and teaching. Discovery is best exemplified through traditional research methods, the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge in the discipline. Integration occurs in the context of teaching and clinical practice through the use of knowledge from a range of sources, including both intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary sources. Application, in a professional discipline, is reflected in clinical practice and incorporates knowledge from multiple sources. Service activities are integral to the application dimension of scholarship. Teaching may take many forms and includes models and practices to achieve learning. In a professional discipline, teaching includes both the didactic and the clinical dimension. Teaching must be a dynamic activity and be constantly refreshed by knowledge gained through research and clinical practice.
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