Module 3

• Learner


  The single most important person in the education process
• Learning occurs without an educator. An educator enhances learning by facilitating education to occur.
• Characteristics of a learner to assess


  • Culture
  • Literacy
  • Age
  • Educational level
  • Health status
  • Socio-economic
• Determinants of learning to understand

  • Determinants of learning
• Learning needs


  Gaps in knowledge that exist between the desired level of performance and actual level of performance
• Steps in assessment of learning needs


  1. Identify the learner

  2. Choose the right setting

  3. Establish trusting environment

  4. Ensure privacy and confidentiality

  5. Collect data on the learner
• Steps in assessment of learning needs (continued)


  1. Prioritize needs

  2. Determine availability of educational resources

  3. Assess demands of the organization

  4. Determine the organization's philosophy, mission, vision, strategic plan and goals

  5. Familiarization to standards of performance required, job descriptions and hospital regulations
• Tips for time management in assessment of learning needs
• Methods to assess learning needs


  • Informal conversation
  • Structured interviews
  • Focus groups
  • Self-administered Questionnaires
  • Tests
  • Observations
  • Patient Charts
• Ways to assess learning needs of nursing staff


  • Written job descriptions
  • Formal and informal requests
  • Quality assurance reports
  • Chart audits
  • Rules and regulations
• Four step appraisal of needs


  1. Define target population

  2. Analyze learner and organizational needs

  3. Analyze the perceived needs of the learner and compare from actual needs

  4. Use data to prioritize learning need identified
• Readiness to learn


  The time when the learner demonstrates an interest in learning information necessary to maintain optimal health
• Nurse educators must think about what needs to be learned, what the learning objectives are, and which domain and level the objectives are classified at, to prevent objectives from going beyond the learner's readiness to learn.
• Four types of readiness to learn


  • Physical Readiness
  • Emotional Readiness
  • Knowledge Readiness
  • Experiential Readiness
• Learning style


  Refers to the ways individual process information; or individual preferences to learn
• Learning style models


  Are based from characteristics that are biological in origin, and sociologically developed as result of environment differences
• The style by which the teacher and student prefers to learn can be identified
• Teachers need to guard against over teaching their own preferred learning styles
• Teachers are most helpful when they assist students in identifying and learning through the own style preferences
• Students should have the opportunity to learn through their preferred style
• Students should be encouraged to diversify their style preferences
• Teachers can develop specific learning activities that reinforce each modality or style
• Learning Style Models and Instrument
• According to Gregorc, learning style consists of distinctive and observable behavior that provides cues about the mediation abilities of individuals
• Concrete Sequential (CS) Learners


  • Operate in a highly structured, conservative manner in which specific details and time schedules are critical. Objectives are important, as well as clear beginning and end. The learner can tolerate interruption during the performance of the skill
• Abstract Sequential Learners


  • Are global thinkers and surround themselves with language and other symbols of knowledge. They also like to deal with abstract ideas and their style of learning continually leads to further understanding. These types of learner do not learn when sequence is interrupted. These learners need facts and written documents such as statistics and references
• Abstract Random (AR) Learners


  • Value relationships over time-bound structures. They think in global terms, and their thinking process is anchored in feelings. Often these types of learners will direct attention to information that has personal meaning to them. Learning can be enhanced by color, music, picture, drawings, symbols, poetry, and humor. Learners like a busy environment and likely ask questions during discussion. Learning is achieved in groups, with opportunity for discussion and question and answer
• Concrete Random (CR) Learners


  • Tend to seek alternatives and create choices where none existed before. The learners are inquisitive and will question motives. Attentions is focused on the process and the CR individual will make intuitive leaps or insights. The "why" is more important than "how". CR learner does not like detail and has difficulty in step-by-step learning
• 4MAT System


  Mc Carthy (1981) developed a model from previous research on learning style and brain functioning. It is a combination of Kolb's model and right/left brain functioning
• Learning process


  Is a natural sequence from type 1-4. educators can address all four types of learning styles by teaching sequentially. Learners can work with their own strongest learning style
• Type 1 Learner


  • Engage in the right brain by sensing and feeling their way through an experience. They eventually move on the left-brain to analyze what they have experience. (Why is this important?)
• Type 2 Learner


  • Begins with the right brain to make observations and integrate data with present knowledge. Learners then engage the left-brain to think about new theories and concepts relative to these observations. (What is it I am supposed to be learning? And "What is the relationship?")
• Type 3 Learner


  • Begin with the left brain by working with defined concepts, then shifting to the right brain to experiment with what has to be learned. ("How does this work?""How can I figure this out?")
• Type 4 Learner


  • Begins with the left brain by analyzing the practicality of what has been learned. They move to the right brain to show mastery through application and the sharing of findings with others. ("If I learn this what I do with this?")
• Gardner's Seven Types of Intelligence


  Howard Gardner (1983) – developed a theory focused on seven types of intelligence. It was found useful in looking at styles of learning among children