Abstract
Todays students are different from the past and nursing faculty find themselves struggling to convey enormous amounts of information to students whose horizon of learning has changed. Prensky (2001) claims that students' today are "native speakers" of the digital language. This generation of learners is growing-up in a digital world surrounded by computers, video games, the Internet, smart phones, MP3 players, computer tablets, and e-book readers. According to Jackson and Crawford (2008) to-days learners are cognitively impacted by digital experiences requiring educators to revisit and ultimately expand the horizon of delivery methods. A review of the state of the science with regards to teaching strategies and the integration of technology in the classroom suggests that knowing how students learn and using a combination of teaching strategies can promote critical thinking, encourage clinical reasoning, and engage students in the learning process. Based on the empirical evidence an active teaching active learning format was developed for a pediatric course to enhance students learning and keep them engaged in the classroom. To determine students performance when involved in the learning process test results from two different groups of students were compared. One group received 15% of the course content as active learning exercises. These exercises comprised of peer reviewed case studies, one-minute papers, computer generated concept maps and a group wiki development. The other group of students received the same information in lecture format. A comprehensive pediatric examination given at the end of the course by an independent testing company was utilized to compare group performance. Results from the exam show that both group performed the same. Using active teaching strategies including the use of digital technologies will not only help nurse educators in meeting the learning needs of todays digital learners but covering much needed content without affecting students performance.
Sigma Membership
Lambda Chi
Lead Author Affiliation
Barry University, Miami Shores, Florida, USA
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Digital Learner, Active Teaching, Active Learning
Recommended Citation
Hershorin, Indra, "Active teaching, active learning: Are today's students engaged in learning?" (2012). INRC (Congress). 122.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2012/presentations_2012/122
Conference Name
23rd International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Brisbane, Australia
Conference Year
2012
Rights Holder
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Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Active teaching, active learning: Are today's students engaged in learning?
Brisbane, Australia
Todays students are different from the past and nursing faculty find themselves struggling to convey enormous amounts of information to students whose horizon of learning has changed. Prensky (2001) claims that students' today are "native speakers" of the digital language. This generation of learners is growing-up in a digital world surrounded by computers, video games, the Internet, smart phones, MP3 players, computer tablets, and e-book readers. According to Jackson and Crawford (2008) to-days learners are cognitively impacted by digital experiences requiring educators to revisit and ultimately expand the horizon of delivery methods. A review of the state of the science with regards to teaching strategies and the integration of technology in the classroom suggests that knowing how students learn and using a combination of teaching strategies can promote critical thinking, encourage clinical reasoning, and engage students in the learning process. Based on the empirical evidence an active teaching active learning format was developed for a pediatric course to enhance students learning and keep them engaged in the classroom. To determine students performance when involved in the learning process test results from two different groups of students were compared. One group received 15% of the course content as active learning exercises. These exercises comprised of peer reviewed case studies, one-minute papers, computer generated concept maps and a group wiki development. The other group of students received the same information in lecture format. A comprehensive pediatric examination given at the end of the course by an independent testing company was utilized to compare group performance. Results from the exam show that both group performed the same. Using active teaching strategies including the use of digital technologies will not only help nurse educators in meeting the learning needs of todays digital learners but covering much needed content without affecting students performance.