Other Titles

How students learn by studying other cultures

Abstract

Session presented on Sunday, July 24, 2016:

Purpose: To share preliminary results of the internationally Educated Nurses (IEN) project (funded by Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, and international Trade, 2014-2017) on teacher and student perceptions and teaching practices with diverse learners. Diversity is the nature of being human. Students are similar and different from one another in a variety of ways. Teachers must be prepared to teach a diverse group of students. Teaching diverse learners is a co-learning process (Robson 2007) where teachers must take into account different experiences and academic needs of a wide range of students in their teaching plan. Literature on teaching diverse learners indicates that when teachers use knowledge about the social, cultural, and language student backgrounds then academic learner achievement can increase (Banks et al 2005, Alder 2000, Ginsberg et al 2000, Gay 2010, and Gay 2013). Gay's model of culturally responsive teaching focuses on culture as an essence of education, reflecting on curriculum, instruction, administration, and strategies of teaching and learning (Gay 2010, 2013). Culture defines how we think, behave, teach, and learn. It is therefore important for teachers to know their student experiences and backgrounds to make learning encounters more relevant and effective to them. At the same time, teachers need to become more conscious of themselves as a cultural beings and cultural actors in the process of teaching, and interacting with students (Gay 2010, 2013). This paper explores Gay's model and the study's results of faculty and diverse student perceptions of teaching and learning practices.

Methods: This paper utilizes both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore different aspects of teaching experience and learning needs. Quantitative data include questionnaires for faculty and students. Qualitative data include vignettes- short videos to illustrate acceptable/best practices of a registered nurse in some selected sensitive situations.

Results: The preliminary results are based on a current sample of IEN students from 5 universities and colleges of Ontario, Canada. Even though data collection is not completed yet, the initial results have provided better understanding about the level of preparedness of the nursing faculty to teach diverse learners. In response some immediate interventions to improve teaching and measuring effectiveness of the culturally-responsive teaching model has been implemented and being measured.

Conclusion: Continuous faculty professional development is needed to update teachers/educators with research findings, evidence-based practice, healthcare environment, and characteristics of learners for learner focused teaching and learning.

Author Details

Patricia Bradley, RN

Sigma Membership

Unknown

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

N/A

Research Approach

N/A

Keywords:

Culturally Responsive Teaching, Diverse LeaRNs, Nursing Education

Conference Name

27th International Nursing Research Congress

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Cape Town, South Africa

Conference Year

2016

Rights Holder

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All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

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Exploratory study on teaching strategies for internationally educated nurse (IEN) learners in Canada

Cape Town, South Africa

Session presented on Sunday, July 24, 2016:

Purpose: To share preliminary results of the internationally Educated Nurses (IEN) project (funded by Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, and international Trade, 2014-2017) on teacher and student perceptions and teaching practices with diverse learners. Diversity is the nature of being human. Students are similar and different from one another in a variety of ways. Teachers must be prepared to teach a diverse group of students. Teaching diverse learners is a co-learning process (Robson 2007) where teachers must take into account different experiences and academic needs of a wide range of students in their teaching plan. Literature on teaching diverse learners indicates that when teachers use knowledge about the social, cultural, and language student backgrounds then academic learner achievement can increase (Banks et al 2005, Alder 2000, Ginsberg et al 2000, Gay 2010, and Gay 2013). Gay's model of culturally responsive teaching focuses on culture as an essence of education, reflecting on curriculum, instruction, administration, and strategies of teaching and learning (Gay 2010, 2013). Culture defines how we think, behave, teach, and learn. It is therefore important for teachers to know their student experiences and backgrounds to make learning encounters more relevant and effective to them. At the same time, teachers need to become more conscious of themselves as a cultural beings and cultural actors in the process of teaching, and interacting with students (Gay 2010, 2013). This paper explores Gay's model and the study's results of faculty and diverse student perceptions of teaching and learning practices.

Methods: This paper utilizes both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore different aspects of teaching experience and learning needs. Quantitative data include questionnaires for faculty and students. Qualitative data include vignettes- short videos to illustrate acceptable/best practices of a registered nurse in some selected sensitive situations.

Results: The preliminary results are based on a current sample of IEN students from 5 universities and colleges of Ontario, Canada. Even though data collection is not completed yet, the initial results have provided better understanding about the level of preparedness of the nursing faculty to teach diverse learners. In response some immediate interventions to improve teaching and measuring effectiveness of the culturally-responsive teaching model has been implemented and being measured.

Conclusion: Continuous faculty professional development is needed to update teachers/educators with research findings, evidence-based practice, healthcare environment, and characteristics of learners for learner focused teaching and learning.