Active Learning Strategies to Promote Critical Thinking
Active learning is a process that goes above students listening to an instructor in the classroom or being “spoon-fed” various facts and figures- instead the focus of active learning is placed on the development of students’ cognitive skills, understanding of concepts, and providing application of knowledge in the clinical setting; this approach also provides exploration of students’ own attitudes and values through various activities such as reading, writing and classroom discussion (Russell, Comello, & Wright, 2007). Critical thinking involves various cognitive skills such as analysis, evaluation, inference, interpretation, explanation, and self-regulation (Billings & Halstead, 2012). Although the development of critical thinking in nursing education includes knowledge and skills learned in the classroom, it goes above these factors in developing a complex, multidimensional, higher-order thinking process essential for decision making in nursing practice (Yildirim & Özkahraman, 2011).
Our healthcare system is currently facing rapidly evolving changes in technology, increased complexity of patient care, and multiple advances in treatment for diseases, contributing to the need for an increased emphasis of critical thinking in professional nurses (Heler, Oros, & Durney-Crowley, 2013). With the strong link between active learning and the development of critical thinking, there is a need for nursing faculty to shift their traditional roles as classroom lecturers, and become facilitators of learning- using creative learning experiences as opportunities for students to develop critical thinking (Billings & Halstead, 2012).
In order to bridge the gap between theory and practice, it is important for nursing faculty to develop teaching/learning strategies that will lead to the development of critical thinking and strengthening of clinical judgment and reasoning skills in nursing students. Using problem-based learning/case-studies is a teaching strategy which involves developing realistic clinical scenarios in which students can work in groups to collect data, integrate clinical knowledge, and make patient care decisions; this interactive learning strategy fosters active learning and critical thinking by encouraging collaboration between students and opportunity for application of nursing knowledge in complex patient care situations (Billings & Halstead, 2012). Another teaching strategy which leads to the development of critical thinking is role play, a collaborative approach in which students/faculty act through scenarios, assuming the roles of others; this strategy is a great opportunity for faculty to observe students’ decision-making and problem-solving skills, allowing room for clarification and modification of student actions if necessary (Billings & Halstead, 2012).
Jennifer Austin
(February 26, 2015)
Our healthcare system is currently facing rapidly evolving changes in technology, increased complexity of patient care, and multiple advances in treatment for diseases, contributing to the need for an increased emphasis of critical thinking in professional nurses (Heler, Oros, & Durney-Crowley, 2013). With the strong link between active learning and the development of critical thinking, there is a need for nursing faculty to shift their traditional roles as classroom lecturers, and become facilitators of learning- using creative learning experiences as opportunities for students to develop critical thinking (Billings & Halstead, 2012).
In order to bridge the gap between theory and practice, it is important for nursing faculty to develop teaching/learning strategies that will lead to the development of critical thinking and strengthening of clinical judgment and reasoning skills in nursing students. Using problem-based learning/case-studies is a teaching strategy which involves developing realistic clinical scenarios in which students can work in groups to collect data, integrate clinical knowledge, and make patient care decisions; this interactive learning strategy fosters active learning and critical thinking by encouraging collaboration between students and opportunity for application of nursing knowledge in complex patient care situations (Billings & Halstead, 2012). Another teaching strategy which leads to the development of critical thinking is role play, a collaborative approach in which students/faculty act through scenarios, assuming the roles of others; this strategy is a great opportunity for faculty to observe students’ decision-making and problem-solving skills, allowing room for clarification and modification of student actions if necessary (Billings & Halstead, 2012).
Jennifer Austin
(February 26, 2015)