Teaching Strategies for Large and Small Classrooms
Educators must be prepared to teach nursing in both large and small classrooms, however there are advantages and challenges present in both arenas. Advantages to teaching in large classrooms include cost-efficiency, effective use of faculty time and talent, accessibility of resources, and regulation of the learning experience (Carpenter, 2006). Challenges present in a large classroom include physical distance, noise-levels, room-lighting, and an impersonal learning environment- factors which may contribute to students’ reluctance to participate in creative teaching strategies (Herrman, 2008). Advantages to teaching in small classrooms include providing individualized attention to students in class, as well as promoting student-teacher interactions and student engagement (Blatchford, Bassett, & Brown, 2011). In addition, classes with smaller groups of students provide more opportunities for implementation of active-learning pedagogies (Emerson & Records, 2008). Challenges present in smaller classrooms include students who are reluctant to participate due to lack of anonymity, negative group dynamics effecting group work, and maintaining a high-pace of learning in the classroom (Herrman, 2008).
An example of a student-centered teaching strategy for a large classroom is the use of case-studies. This valuable teaching strategy involves students’ drawing on knowledge from readings, class, and clinical (Day, 2011). For time-efficiency in class, educators may want to have students read the case-study and prepare written responses to discussion questions related to the case-study prior to class; during class students will be organized into groups and will share their responses and collaborate with other students to develop “team responses” (Carpenter, 2006). For small classrooms, a student-centered teaching strategy is the jigsaw method. This valuable teaching strategy involves structured, controlled collaboration between teachers and students (Carpenter, 2006). In the jigsaw method, class content is divided into chunks (or puzzle-pieces), individual students or groups are responsible for a piece of the puzzle with the responsibility of completing the assignment and reporting back to the rest of the class; this strategy reinforces that each piece of the puzzle contributes to the whole picture (Herrman, 2008).
I believe that one of my strengths as an educator is my expertise with medical-surgical nursing, which provides an advantage as I integrate my personal experiences in presenting nursing content in an understandable and meaningful way. My goal is to create an active learning environment in which students are comfortable asking questions, and collaborating with other students during group projects. I realize that I will face challenges as a novice educator, including establishing rapport with faculty members and students, and initially using a trial-and-error approach to identify which teaching strategies work best in my classroom. At this current time I feel that I am best suited to teach in a small classroom, as there are more opportunities to interact with students, however I am confident that with more experience I will gain a comfort-level teaching in various classroom settings.
Jennifer Austin
(March 12, 2015)
An example of a student-centered teaching strategy for a large classroom is the use of case-studies. This valuable teaching strategy involves students’ drawing on knowledge from readings, class, and clinical (Day, 2011). For time-efficiency in class, educators may want to have students read the case-study and prepare written responses to discussion questions related to the case-study prior to class; during class students will be organized into groups and will share their responses and collaborate with other students to develop “team responses” (Carpenter, 2006). For small classrooms, a student-centered teaching strategy is the jigsaw method. This valuable teaching strategy involves structured, controlled collaboration between teachers and students (Carpenter, 2006). In the jigsaw method, class content is divided into chunks (or puzzle-pieces), individual students or groups are responsible for a piece of the puzzle with the responsibility of completing the assignment and reporting back to the rest of the class; this strategy reinforces that each piece of the puzzle contributes to the whole picture (Herrman, 2008).
I believe that one of my strengths as an educator is my expertise with medical-surgical nursing, which provides an advantage as I integrate my personal experiences in presenting nursing content in an understandable and meaningful way. My goal is to create an active learning environment in which students are comfortable asking questions, and collaborating with other students during group projects. I realize that I will face challenges as a novice educator, including establishing rapport with faculty members and students, and initially using a trial-and-error approach to identify which teaching strategies work best in my classroom. At this current time I feel that I am best suited to teach in a small classroom, as there are more opportunities to interact with students, however I am confident that with more experience I will gain a comfort-level teaching in various classroom settings.
Jennifer Austin
(March 12, 2015)