Educational Methods and Learning Theories

Teaching Methodology

• Teaching methodology is the methods used to help learners interact with content of the learning process. These methods aid learners in reaching desired learning goals.
• Teaching methods use visual, oral, etc. methods
• Education is a systematic, sequential, planned process. It's a cycle of teaching and learning. It involves two people: the teacher and the learner.
• Teaching is an intervention involving planning and implementation of instructional activities. It meets intended learner outcomes based on a teaching plan.
• Learning is the process of changing behavior (knowledge, skills, attitudes). It can occur at any time, in any place, consciously or unconsciously.

Related Definitions

• Education is a systematic process—sequential and planned. It comprises teaching and learning, forming a cycle. This involves two interdependent people, the teacher and the learner.
• Teaching involves the planning and execution of instructional activities. This goal is to meet the learner's needs in a structured and purposeful way.
• Learning is the process of changing behavior (knowledge, skills, attitudes) which can occur in any time or place as a result of conscious or unconscious exposure to something.

Teacher's Qualities

• Enthusiasm
• Cheerfulness
• Honesty
• Patience
• Flexibility
• Control of anger
• Humor
• Calmness
• Neat appearance
• Good communication skills

Effective Educator

• Sending a clear message that includes understandable information.
• Selecting the appropriate learning format, or strategy for the program.
• Creating the best possible learning environment, and
• Organizing the learning experience logically and integratively.

Events of Instruction

• To educate effectively, teachers need to understand instruction's basic sequence—nine steps to instruct others. This aims at teaching students so they get the maximum knowledge through the instruction.
• 1. Gain attention: Before anything can be learned, the educator must gain the learner's attention.
• 2. Inform learners of the objectives; Learners need expectations of what they will learn.
• 3. Stimulate recall of prior learning; Link new knowledge to existing knowledge.
• 4. Present the stimulus; Present information clearly and organized to suit the learner.
• 5. Provide learning guidance; Guidance helps the learner recall the information.
• 6. Learners demonstrate; Learners need to demonstrate what they have learned.
• 7. Provide feedback; Assess learner performance and provide feedback for improvement.
• 8. Assess performance; Evaluate learners' performance and
• 9. Enhance knowledge retention and transfer; Help learners apply knowledge in new situations

Domains of Learning

• Cognitive: Describes the knowledge to be acquired.
• Affective: Describes attitudes, feelings, and dispositions learners develop.
• Psychomotor: Deals with manipulative and motor skills to be learned.

Teaching Methodology

• Methods involve learner interaction with teaching content. This leads to desired learning goals, done through various methods such as visual and oral.

Types of Teaching Methodology

• Lecture
• Case study
• Cooperative learning
• Demonstration
• Games
• Imagery
• Portfolio
• Role play
• Self-learning module
• Seminars
• Simulation

Lecture

• A speech to a large group of learners.
• Used to clarify complex, confusing or conflicting concepts.
• Provides information not available to the students.
• Used for changing pace or strategies.
• Skills required in presenting the lecture include: verbal skills, non-verbal communication skills, and questioning skills. It also includes motivational purposes (developing learner interest and motivation, focusing on lecture specifics, providing stimulus change during the lecture)
• Planning the lecture includes factors such as: learning objectives for the lecture, content, arrangement (from simple to complex and basic to advanced), and presentation method (problem based, interactive, etc.).
• Advantages of lecture: save time for teachers, cover large numbers of students, presence of a teacher is reassuring, clarify difficult concepts
• Disadvantages of lecture: student is passive, doesn't improve problem-solving learning, doesn't allow for individual pace, lacking in checking learner progress

Case Study

• Analysis of a real or simulated life situation to illustrate class content and theory.
• Advantages: Stimulates critical thinking, improves retention and recall, practices problem-solving. Supports prior experience and validates thinking.
• Disadvantages: More effective when used with complex situations that require problem-solving. Time-consuming, necessitates good questioning skills, and can be challenging to develop case studies.

Cooperative Learning

• Team of learners working on assignments, assuming responsibility for group outcomes.
• Advantages: Encourages teamwork, uses group dynamic skills, promotes active and reflective learning
• Disadvantages: Students may resist frequent group assignments, possibility of students not participating

Demonstration

• Shows how to do something, used for complex mental or psychomotor skills.
• Advantages: Teacher presence (showmanship); gives a feeling of security
• Disadvantages: Number of students is limited and keeps students in a passive situation.

Games

• An activity governed by rules, involving chance or varying degrees of luck.
• Advantages: Increases cognitive and affective learning, improves retention, exciting, increases learner involvement and attention
• Disadvantages: Time-consuming, difficult to evaluate the level of learning if several students participate, instructions may not be controlled entirely by the instructor.

Role Play

• A creative teaching strategy allowing learners to learn new behaviors and problem-solve.
• Goals: Interaction with different people in various situations, experience situations from multiple perspectives.
• Often useful for clients with mental health problems.
• Application of role-playing: Select the problem, define the problem and objectives, find role models, set the time limit, introduce situation, thank participants, discuss & analyze main points, and evaluate any mistakes.
• Advantages: Increases observation skills, provides immediate feedback on interpersonal and problem-solving skills, active participation. Connects to real life.
• Disadvantages: Time-consuming; players may not play their role well; group may be uncontrollable

Portfolio

• Documentation of student skills from courses or life experiences
• Advantages: helps teachers understand student goals, empowers students to be independent and confident
• Disadvantages: Time-consuming, may become bulky, needs specific guidelines

Small Group Discussion

• Learners exchange information, feelings, and opinions with each other and the teacher.
• Advantages: promotes active thinking and solving of problems, increases interaction between students, discussion is facilitated through learner experiences
• Disadvantages: Pre-class preparation needed by students and teacher.

Seminar

• A meeting for exchanging ideas or discussing concepts.
• Advantages: Active student engagement, cooperative learning, facilitates dialogue, learners learn group problem-solving
• Disadvantages: Time-consuming, need adequate knowledge for discussion and comprehensive understanding

Simulation

• Representation of an actual life event.
• Advantages: Provides immediate feedback, allows students to receive the same experience, increases self-confidence
• Disadvantages: All learners must participate, must be realistically portrayed, transfer to real situations needed.

Self-learning module

• A document containing everything needed for a student to achieve learning goals independently.
• Teacher role: facilitator, motivates and reinforces learning, maintains educational standards.
• Advantages: Enables learners to meet their own needs and promotes independence, portability, eliminates costs as learning programs are readily available.
• Disadvantages: Lack of instruction or feedback between learners and instructors, format may be structured and visually uninteresting

Teaching audio-visual media

• Media includes anything people use to learn through seeing, hearing or touching (printed, non-printed, electronic, non-electronic).

Types of media

• Non-projected: Books, handouts, real objects/specimens, models/simulation devices, white board/visual aids, field trips.
• Projected: Transparencies, slides/films, microfiche
• Sound: Broadcasts (e.g., radio)

Nurse Educator

• A registered nurse with advanced education and clinical training in health care.

Characteristics of Effective Nurse educators

• Instructional ability/communication skills (interacts with students, organized, energetic, well-prepared, communicates effectively)
• Interpersonal skills (respectful, supportive, motivational, non-judgmental)
• Personality traits (attentive, flexible, sense of humor)
• Professionalism (good role model, skilled clinician, reflects course objectives, constructive)

Role of Nurse Educator

• Designs and develops curriculum based on the program's mission, vision and philosophy
• Acts as a facilitator and motivator
• Advises and guides students through their learning process
• Utilizes technology in teaching
• Assesses learner needs

Additional points

• Use appropriate evaluation instruments to assess learning and goal achievements
• Educators should assess own knowledge and updating skills to maintain clinical competence.