Learning Styles and Generational Differences

Our last module in Teaching the Adult Learner was on learning styles.  Some of this we have already covered in other modules, but it was a good review. Be sure to check out Pardue and Morgan's article on Millennials - very interesting!  These students are characterized by multi-tasking, group activities, multimedia, and social networking. However, they often lack skills in reading and writing and need help in organization and focusing on one thing at a time to learn in depth. These are generational differences that are almost completely the opposite of their Baby Boomer teachers!

I like when we incorporate different styles of learning/teaching both as a student and as a teacher. Variety makes the information more interesting and I can see how it would motivate students with different learning styles.  I also liked Mayfield's idea of encouraging students to think about how they learn and what their learning styles are so they can find ways to make the most of their strengths and adapt to styles that are harder for them.  Blogging is a great metacognitive activity that helps students to do this.  Additionally, blogging appeals to Millennials, and both field-dependent and field-independent students. I loved the suggestion that faculty also blog in order to inspire and help their students :-)



In fact, most learning activities can work for varied learning styles.  For instance, WebQuests would appeal to Millennials, kinesthetic learners, field-dependent learners if done in groups, field-independent learners if done individually, visual learners if producing a brochure or webpage, auditory learners if videos are included, and most adult learners because it is active and self-directed learning. I really want to use more active learning in my teaching, because regardless of their learning style, it engages students. It does take more work and creativity to design learning environments that work for students with different learning styles, but getting students excited and validating their learning preferences is worth the effort.  Both children below are using methods that work for them, neither one is superior to the other.  While it's important to be able to read and follow directions, using a holistic approach is no less valid and actually beneficial if the directions were lost!

So out of curiosity I thought I would do a learning style inventory on myself to see my results. I used the Birmingham Grid for Learning.  I think I will score high on linguistics and logical mathematical and poorly in spatial and bodily-kinesthetic. Ha! I always have trouble figuring out what size container to put leftovers in and I've been known to walk into doorjambs! Where my daughter got her ability to dance, I'll never know.  I like to sing, but I can't hear the different parts in a choir without trying extremely hard, probably because I have difficulty with auditory processing.  Anyway, my results are in!  I never thought about being naturalistic or intrapersonal smart, yet those were in my top three.  I was also surprised that I didn't come up as more of a visual learner, but I guess it is because they lumped it in with spatial, my kryptonite! Give it a try - you might be surprised...

References:

Jewell, A. (2013). Supporting the novice nurse to fly: A literature review. Nurse Education in Practice, 13(4), 323–7. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/10.1016/j.nepr.2013.04.006

Keane, M. (1993). Preferred learning styles and study strategies in a linguistically diverse baccalaureate nursing student population. Journal of Nursing Education, 32(5), 214–221.

Mayfield, L. R. (2012). Nursing students’ awareness and intentional maximization of their learning styles. Learning Assistance Review (TLAR), 17(1), 27–44.

Noble, K. A., Miller, S. M., & Heckman, J. (2008). The cognitive style of nursing students: Educational implications for teaching and learning. Journal of Nursing Education, 47(6), 245–53.

Pardue, K., & Morgan, P. (2008). Millennials considered: A new generation, new approaches, and implications for nursing education. Nursing Education Perspectives, 29(2), 74–79.

Let's Get Students in the Middle of the Action in Our Learning Environments

Module 5 was about active learning and student-centered learning environments.  Research study findings support that these methods of teaching may lead to better problem-solving and critical thinking skills and increased persistence compared with teacher-centered learning environments.  Students are more engaged (Davis, 2013) if they have invested more in their own learning (Maag & Fonteyn, 2005).

All the articles except Popkess and McDaniel talked about the use of discussion groups, either online or in a live classroom setting.  The authors pointed to positive effects on collaboration, teamwork, and critical thinking, as well as transfer of knowledge to the clinical setting.  Discussions focused on case studies, in which students had to work with each other to either create or solve the scenarios. Exposure to others' perspectives stimulated new ideas and working with one another established a sense of community. This can be accomplished online, as well, through the use of caring groups like we have at UWG.  These methods are also compatible with the "flipped classroom" approach in live classrooms.


I found lots of pictures of active classrooms with special furniture such as round tables or group tables with multiple computers and access to a group video screen that the computers connect to.  Other classrooms use desk/chair combinations on wheels that can be moved around the classroom.  While all these ideas sound great, they are expensive!  I don't see why we couldn't move our long desk-width tables into groups to facilitate collaborative learning. It may look something like this picture to the right, except with two long tables for each group.

In a flipped classroom, students arrive having already read the assigned readings and/or looked at the posted PowerPoint in hybrid classes.   Rather than a 2 hour lecture, class time could could consist of different sections.  The first 20 minutes or so could be a review of any questions students may have about the material and followed by a short lecture to review areas the class is struggling with. Then for the next 30 minutes, the students could begin to work on group projects, such as case studies, reverse case studies, or WebQuests.  I would give a 10 minute break after the first group activity.  In the second hour, students would do another group project for 30 minutes, with an extra 10 minutes to wrap up any loose ends of either project.  Longer projects could use both group activity slots.  During these group activities the instructor would walk around to the various groups giving feedback and answering questions.  The final 20 minutes could be used as a whole class discussion to review the material and how the groups applied it.

Finally, another common technique discussed was reflective writing, which facilitates application of concepts and synthesis of knowledge (Kuiper, 2012).  Students could write about how the group process and their own learning, promoting self-evaluation (Davis, 2013).  Of course, the reflective writing could be incorporated into student blogs as I did in my WebQuest. Questions should include how they would use the concepts they learned in different situations.  This type of reflective learning promotes metacognition and critical thinking skills, which are needed in the ever-changing, complex world of health care. Davis (2013) also suggested that faculty also engage in reflective writing so they can assist students better with the process and also benefit from self-reflection on their teaching methods.  Students will be more willing to attempt blogging if it is being modeled by their instructors.

WebQuest on Down Syndrome

So I created a WebQuest for the Developmental Disabilities lecture.  I thought I could embed the code in the blog so it would be visible and the links usable, but that doesn't seem to work.  So I guess I'll set it up a little differently.  WebQuests are usually made up of several pages.  Instead, I included the information from those pages here on my blog.  The process page is made up as a Piktochart, which is on the Web.  Students would work in groups to go through each of the pages and links provided.  Then they would complete the task of creating a brochure for parents.  Students could also produce a flyer or poster or even a webpage with the information, as well.  Alternately, the process page could be a simple page in the WebQuest, and students could design their own Piktocharts to present the information.

Introduction:

When parents are told that their child has a developmental disability they are overwhelmed.  Sometimes the diagnosis is given prenatally or shortly after birth, as in Down Syndrome.  Other times they suspect something is wrong when their child lags behind or regresses in development.  In any event, parents are filled with fear, uncertainty, and often guilt.  It is important for the nurse to give accurate information and direct them to appropriate resources.

In this WebQuest you will explore some of the questions parents have about Down Syndrome.  How do the parents feel when they are given the diagnosis that their child has Down Syndrome?  What causes Down Syndrome?  How does it affect their child physically?  What are the effects on their child's development? Behavior?  What kind of future will they have?  What resources are available?

Task:

Explore all the links in the Piktochart to find some of the answers to the questions above.  The Bloom trailer is an advertisement for a book by a mother whose child has Down Syndrome.  It gives a poignant story of coming to terms with the diagnosis.  When you click on Life with Down Syndrome you will be taken to an article in Parents magazine.  Scroll down to watch the embedded video to get a father's point of view.  You will read the article itself later in another link.

Sift through all the information and links and develop a visually appealing brochure for parents using Microsoft Word.  Include what you think is the most important information and resources for parents. Giving parents written materials to refer to later is important, because they can only process small amounts of information at a time.  Be sure to include all the names of the group members on the brochure.  Look at the Evaluation page to see the rubric.

Process:

Click on the link for the Piktochart to explore.

Evaluation:

Detailed rubric for the project would be included.

Summary:

By completing this brochure for parents, you have explored the impact of Down Syndrome on a family. You have looked at links to national, state, and local resources.  Other developmental disabilities have the similar issues and concerns.  Now that you have completed this project, you could research information and resources for other developmental disabilities, as well.  Where could you start to research Fragile X or autism? Are any of the resources the same?

For your individual Blog:  Write a summary of what you learned about the impact of developmental disabilities. What information most surprised you?  Why?  Was there any information or topics that you didn't agree with?  What would your biggest concerns be if you were the parent of a child with developmental disabilities?  Would this information help you?  What other information would helpful?

Case Studies & Other Problem-Based Learning Activities

The articles on problem-based learning were good examples of how to use the method of case studies with students, either in a live classroom or online. Collaboration between students led to the increase in critical thinking and problem-solving skills (Choi, 2003; Jauhiainen & Pulkkinen, 2009; Jones, 2008; Oldenburg & Hung, 2010), as well as peer support and teamwork (Jones, 2008; Oldenburg & Hung, 2010).  Case studies could even be used in large classrooms with the students in small groups and the instructor moving around from group to group facilitating.

I think it would be great to include students from other disciplines to incorporate interprofessional learning and cooperation.  As nurses we must be able to work with each other and together with PTs, doctors, RTs, and social services.  Many students of one discipline have no idea what the other disciplines contribute to health care.  Doing case studies together would promote understanding and help students to see each other as resources, not rivals.

These articles included reflective journaling, as well.  Seems to be a frequent theme in the literature!  Of course it fits in nicely with blogging, and students could reflect on what they learned in the case studies on many different levels.  Some questions might include: What new information did you learn about heart failure?    What was something surprising you learned that was not directly related to heart failure? What healthcare professionals might be able to assist this patient and how?

Students could also write about what they thought of the experience and how they felt interacting with other students.  They could write about what they did well and what they would do differently. This kind of reflection helps students to analyze their nursing skills and encourages self-evaluation and goal-setting (Jones, 2008).

These posts become even more useful if students look back over the course of a semester or year and see the log of what they have learned.  I also think if students from different levels could interact and/or see each others' blogs, more insights could be gained.  Another level could be reached if the instructor was willing to share some personal insights or reflections, as well.  I think the Net generation would enjoy this use of social media as opposed to handwriting their thoughts.

References

Choi, H. (2003). A problem-based learning trial on the Internet involving undergraduate nursing         students. Journal of Nursing Education, 42(8), 359–363.

Jauhiainen, A., & Pulkkinen, R. (2009). Problem-based learning and e-learning methods in clinical practice. Studies In Health Technology And Informatics, 146, 572–576.

Jones, M. (2008). Developing clinically savvy nursing students: an evaluation of problem-based learning in an associate degree program. Nursing Education Perspectives, 29(5), 278–283.

Oja, K., J. (2011). Using Problem-Based Learning in the Clinical Setting to Improve Nursing Students’ Critical Thinking: An Evidence Review. Journal of Nursing Education, 50(3), 145–151. doi:10.3928/01484834-20101230-10

Oldenburg, N., & Hung, W. (2010). Problem solving strategies used by RN-to-BSN students in an online problem-based learning course. Journal of Nursing Education, 49(4), 219–222. doi:10.3928/01484834-20091118-01

WebQuest: Elementary, My Dear Watson

One of the inquiry based learning (IBL) articles really caught my attention. WebQuests are a type of IBL learning activity that engages the learner with a question or a goal for learning and then directs them to various websites to complete a task.  According to Sanford, Townsend-Rocchiccioli, Trimm, & Jacobs (2010), WebQuests are built on the constructivist theory, in which learners investigate problems, assess the situation, ask questions, and find solutions. All these activities lead the learner to develop deeper understanding and improved inquiry and problem solving skills.





WebQuests consist of an introduction, a task,  a process, an evaluation, and a summary. The introduction draws the learner in with enticing and fun information and an interesting question to explore. A well-constructed WebQuest will be tailored to the learner's past experience and goals, making it relevant to the learner. This ties in nicely with the principles of andragogy. Additionally, the introduction should immerse the learner in a setting or problem and establish a goal.

Next, the task should involve active learning, including searching for information and then applying the new information to produce a product of some sort. Although the websites are instructional, the process should be fun - more like a scavenger hunt than a research project.  Products could be PowerPoints, videos, skits, posters, brochures, infographics, etc. - whatever the designer of the WebQuest wants to try.

The process part of the WebQuest is a step-by-step plan for the learner to follow to find the needed information. Learners are directed to websites or videos online to discover the answers they seek. It's important the links for each step of the process are current and useable.

After the learners develop the product, an evaluation should take place according to a detailed rubric that is provided.  Finally, the learners are given a brief summary of the topic with ideas of how this could be expanded in other areas. According to Sanford and colleagues (2010), this provides the learners a chance to reflect on the experience and what they learned.  I think it would be more effective to have the learners do their own summary and reflection questions about the WebQuest.  This could be done as part of their presentation, as journal questions, or as a blog.


I love this idea!  It would be a great activity to use as a flipped classroom activity.  Assigned textbook readings could provide the background knowledge and then the websites could add current resources and evidence based practice to the mix.  It may be interesting to use a mixture of websites, so the learners could evaluate which ones were scholarly and appropriate.  I think this would really appeal to the Net generation learner and would be far more interesting than listening to lecture.  WebQuests are self-directed learning which would appeal to all adult learners as well.

The authors also mentioned having learners contact experts online, possibly through online discussion boards, to talk about their subject.  Online videos and lectures are also available through iTunes U or YouTube, TED talks, Khan academy, etc.  No need to redesign the wheel!

I may try to develop a WebQuest for one of my posts....hmmmm

Reference

Sanford, J., Townsend-Rocchiccioli, J., Trimm, D., & Jacobs, M. (2010). The WebQuest: Constructing Creative Learning. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 41(10), 473–479. doi:10.3928/00220124-20100503-04

Inquiry Based Learning: Are We There Yet?

So it's been a month since my last post - not what I intended at all, but the pace of school is daunting at times.  We have been learning about different methods of teaching/learning.  One of these is inquiry based learning (IBL), which I thought I knew nothing about, but then found it to be very familiar.  Inquiry based learning is not surprisingly, based on questions.  It is student directed and often involves group work and discussion.  Students are given a real-life situations to consider or questions to answer. Some resources are provided, but usually no lecture, so students must discover the information on their own.  One method is using case studies for group work, in which students develop and share problem-solving strategies.  Although similar to problem based learning, inquiry based learning is more flexible and uses many different methods of teaching, including group discussions, webquests, and student teaching.  Teachers often act as facilitators, providing guidance, giving feedback, and asking additional questions - "Is there anything else you may want to consider?"  Students then work together to research and find answers to the questions, building research skills, critical thinking, collaboration, and knowledge.

As I was reading the articles it dawned on me: this is exactly what we do in our doctoral classes!  We are given modules to investigate and answer specific questions.  Sometimes we do that in a paper individually, or sometimes in a group activity such as a discussion board or preparing a group presentation. We are often given a few journal articles to read, as well as chapters in our texts and from there we explore. The professors are there to act as facilitators and participate in the discussions, providing insights, asking additional questions and learning along with us at times. IBL corresponds well with andragogical principles because it is student directed, however scaffolding must be provided as needed in order for students to be successful.

One of the most interesting methods of IBL in the articles included journaling. Reflection journals were kept as a means for students to connect their emotions, sensations, and thoughts to their learning assignments. Hmm...isn't this what I'm doing right now? :-) Sounds like blogging to me!  Students in this article also reflected on what they were learning and how it connected to nursing theory.  At the end of six weeks, they went back and did a meta-analysis of their journals, enabling them to see all that they had learned.  More thinking about thinking, metacognition, and seeing how far you've come in a short time period of time.  It also provokes the question - where do you want to go from here?  I really liked what Longo and Lindsay had to say: "We want nursing students to critically reflect on questions such as 'what do you need to know in this situation? What kind of nurse do you want to be in this situation?'"  I think that blogging can provide that kind of perspective.

Being a nursing student is hard, whether you are a pre-licensure student or a doctoral student.  At times it can be overwhelming.  Sometimes it's good to pause and look back at the road you've traveled to gather strength for the journey ahead. This is a picture my nephew, Kerry Klauder, took at a recreation area called Hatcher Pass in Alaska. There is a long, winding road to get to the top of the pass.  This picture is taken from about half-way up, just when you think you can't go any further.  But if you pause and look back, you can see just how far you have come.  It is inspiring and suddenly you are ready to move on, higher up, to see the views from there.

References:

Longo, F., & Lindsay, G. (2011). Knowing nursing through inquiry: Engaging students in knowledge creation. Journal of Nursing Education, 50(12), 703-705.

Magnussen, L., Ishida, D., & Itano, J. (2000). The impact of the use of inquiry-based learning as a teaching methodology on the development of critical thinking. Journal of Nursing Education, 39(8), 360–364.

Morris, D., & Turnbull, P. (2004). Using student nurses as teachers in inquiry-based learning. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 45(2), 136–144. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2648.2003.02875.x

Sanford, J., Townsend-Rocchiccioli, J., Trimm, D., & Jacobs, M. (2010). The WebQuest: Constructing Creative Learning. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 41(10), 473–479. doi:10.3928/00220124-20100503-04

Volkert, D. (2012). Inquiry Based Learning. Nevada RNformation, 21(3), 15–15.