I do not think a new learning theory will help effectively teach nursing. I also had a similar experience as you with terms, and descriptions ( your example the pump). I know that education varies school to school and even teacher to teacher. I wonder if your experience was due to the learning theory of the institution, or more to the inadequacy of the teacher. For me, I had some poorly trained teachers. I also had fantastic teachers who made me feel prepared and helped me fully understand concepts with the way they presented lessons.- Jen Brosnan

Do we need a new learning theory to effectively teaching in nursing?

No new learning theories are needed. The way nursing has been taught in the past has proven to produce competent nurses. Education in the nursing field has historically modelled a behavioristic approach. Nurses need to be held accountable in school because in the real world lives are at stake. A wrong answer may cause a patient their life. Every action has a reaction according to Newton's third law. This is why in nursing school there is time spent in the classroom, and in the field. Clinical experience is where the student can learn safely under guidance from their instructor or another experienced nurse.

Does the assessment of learning styles enhance clinical or academic education?

Assessment of learning styles does not enhance clinical or academic education. According to a Ted Talk presenter, Tesia Marshik learning is the same regardless of how the content is presented to you. What is learned in the classroom is stored in terms of meaning. An example she used was a study which involved chess players. The group was mixed with novice and advanced players. When showed a chess board with pieces strategically placed, novice players could only recall 5 or so piece placement whereas the advance players accurately recalled over 20 piece placements. When both groups were shown a chess board with pieces randomly placed both groups could recall piece placement about the same. The conclusion of the study is that the advance players had better recall because the placement of the pieces had meaning to them.

Jen Brosnan

References

Cannon, S., Boswell, C. (2016) Evidence-Based Teaching in Nursing. Jones and Bartlett.

Pp. 64-65

Marshik, T. (2015, 04 02). TEDxUWLaCrosse Learning styles & the importance of critical

self-reflection . Retrieved from You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=855Now8h5Rs