Active Learning in Nursing: Strategies for Engaging Learners as Active Participants
Overview
This paper examines active learning as a teaching and learning strategy in nursing education, distinguishing it from traditional passive learning models. It argues that active learning, characterized by hands-on engagement, collaboration, and immediate feedback, enhances learner achievement and skill development. The author provides personal examples of active learning implementation through case studies, practical experiments, seminars, and field research.
What this essay covers
- Definition and characteristics of active learning compared to traditional teaching methods
- Benefits of active learning including skill reinforcement, feedback mechanisms, and personal development
- Personal examples of active learning in nursing education through case studies, experiments, and group discussions
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Active Learning in Nursing
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Active Learning in Nursing
Active learning refers to various teaching or learning strategies that engage learners as active participants in the learning process. It differs from the traditional teaching modes in which learners are passive recipients of knowledge from a teacher or expert. According to Kuh, O’Donnell, and Schneider (Kuh, O’Donnell, & Schneider, 2017), active learning involves a hands-on, integrative, and collaborative approach to learning. It has led to high levels of learner achievement and personal growth and development. Active learning is essential and effective because it reinforces essential skills, concepts, and material by providing immediate and frequent feedback to students and teachers. One of the simplest ways of being an active learner is by continuously asking questions.
The characteristics of active learning include the absence of passive listening, engagement in activities, emphasis on skill development, emphasis on exploration of attitudes, and real-time feedback. In the first and second cases, for instance, involvement in learning activities reduces the passive nature of learning, focusing on skills enhanced by immediate feedback. Some examples of active learning in my educational and career development include working on case studies as a group, engaging in practical experiments, discussing groups during seminars, and developing field research topics and objectives. In these situations, I was an active learner in several ways. For instance, during the case study activities, I was an active learner because I contributed to the research and presentation of findings.