Deep Learning
With the pressing challenge of overly-saturated course content in nursing curriculum, nurse educators have been encouraged to shift from the traditional educational methods of classroom instruction. Because there has been a recent focus on re-designing curriculum across all educational settings, nurse educators need to be innovative in their approach towards developing conceptually-based teaching practices which engage students in deep-learning.
Deep learning is a concept which has many potential implications within educational settings. This concept involves an active process in which students learn through linking new concepts to previous knowledge learned from other courses, and applying this new knowledge in a real-world setting. This concept differs from surface-learning, in which nursing students are required to take several courses at a time, content is not easily-linked, and there is little room for application in the clinical setting. Although traditional educational methods of teaching emphasize various aspects such as textbook readings, classroom lecture, note-taking, and memorization of course content, it is important to understand that these methods often leave students feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. Nursing students often try to memorize information from their course textbooks and class notes, with the goal on achieving high grades on tests. Many of students who utilize these learning strategies are successful test-takers, however they often forget important information after the test. These traditional methods often fail to provide nursing students with opportunities for application of foundational nursing concepts in the clinical setting.
Because learning-objectives provide the framework for developing curriculum and course-content, it is important for educators to develop student-centered objectives which reflect higher-level cognitive processes, and support students in the attainment of deep-learning. As an educator, I will consider my students’ vast learning needs as I write objectives which reflect higher-level cognitive processes. Establishing strong student-centered objectives will help me to design learning activities which engage students in the classroom. This will involve re-designing the structure of the classroom, and will involve getting students out of their seats, and participating in interactive-hands-on active learning activities. Students will acquire deep-learning through various educational activities such as such as concept mapping, case-studies, and simulations.
Jennifer
(March 6, 2015)
This graphic represents some strategies for acquisition of deep-learning in the classroom:
Deep learning is a concept which has many potential implications within educational settings. This concept involves an active process in which students learn through linking new concepts to previous knowledge learned from other courses, and applying this new knowledge in a real-world setting. This concept differs from surface-learning, in which nursing students are required to take several courses at a time, content is not easily-linked, and there is little room for application in the clinical setting. Although traditional educational methods of teaching emphasize various aspects such as textbook readings, classroom lecture, note-taking, and memorization of course content, it is important to understand that these methods often leave students feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. Nursing students often try to memorize information from their course textbooks and class notes, with the goal on achieving high grades on tests. Many of students who utilize these learning strategies are successful test-takers, however they often forget important information after the test. These traditional methods often fail to provide nursing students with opportunities for application of foundational nursing concepts in the clinical setting.
Because learning-objectives provide the framework for developing curriculum and course-content, it is important for educators to develop student-centered objectives which reflect higher-level cognitive processes, and support students in the attainment of deep-learning. As an educator, I will consider my students’ vast learning needs as I write objectives which reflect higher-level cognitive processes. Establishing strong student-centered objectives will help me to design learning activities which engage students in the classroom. This will involve re-designing the structure of the classroom, and will involve getting students out of their seats, and participating in interactive-hands-on active learning activities. Students will acquire deep-learning through various educational activities such as such as concept mapping, case-studies, and simulations.
Jennifer
(March 6, 2015)
This graphic represents some strategies for acquisition of deep-learning in the classroom: