Communication Skills

Teaching Methods

• Lecture Method:
  • Economical and cost-effective way to transmit large amounts of information to a large audience
  • Useful for highlighting main ideas, summarizing data, and presenting unique ways of viewing information
  • Effective approach for cognitive learning, especially at lower levels
  • Can be supplemented with handouts and other audiovisual materials
  • However, it has limitations, including little emphasis on problem-solving, decision-making, analytical thinking, and transfer of learning

Group Discussion

• A method of teaching that involves learners actively exchanging information, feelings, and opinions with each other and the educator
• Involves a structured conversation with 4-8 participants to discuss a specific topic or problem
• Encourages learners to think about issues and problems, provides opportunities for sharing ideas and concerns, and fosters positive peer support and feelings of belonging
• Benefits include deeper understanding and longer retention of information, increased social support, and more active learner participation
• However, it can be time-consuming and requires the teacher's presence to facilitate and provide feedback

Cooperative Learning

• Enables students to motivate each other to learn, with the achievement of the group dependent on individual learning
• Involves peer interaction in the process of learning and thinking, developing intellectual and social skills
• Key components include:
  • Extensive structuring of learning tasks by the teacher
  • Interactive student-student execution of tasks
  • Immediate debriefing or assessment to provide prompt feedback
  • Instructional modifications by the teacher based on feedback
• Elements of cooperative learning include:
  • Positive interdependence
  • Individual accountability
  • Social skills
  • Group processing
  • Promotive interaction
• Benefits include development of higher-level thinking, communication skills, self-management, and leadership skills, as well as promoting responsibility and accountability

Case Studies

• Offers learners an opportunity to become thoroughly acquainted with a patient situation before discussing patient and family needs and identifying health-related problems
• Used in conjunction with the teach-back or tell-back strategy to ensure learners understand information correctly and completely
• Allows educators to explore key characteristics, meanings, and implications of the case

One-to-One Instruction

• Involves moving learners from repeating information to applying what they have learned
• Questioning is an excellent technique in this method, encouraging learners to be active participants and providing educators with important feedback
• Provides opportunity for immediate feedback to be shared between educator and learner
• Ideal for initial assessment and ongoing evaluation of the learner
• However, it can be limiting, depriving learners of the opportunity to identify with others and share information, ideas, and feelings