Adult learning theories for Flexible Learning.

Activity 9

Adult learning theories for Flexible Learning.

Explore adult learning theories relevant to your context. Start with looking at Four Orientations to Learning

The behaviorist orientation: purpose is to produce behavioural change in desired direction.  The educator arranges the environment to elicit desired behavioural response.  Learning is expressed as observable behaviour. (Good for learning skills, facts, anatomy and physiology, drug calculations, etc.)

The cognitive orientation   Also known as the information processing learning theory.  Key factors are insight, perception and meaning.  Control lies with the individual learner and how they process information.  Purpose: to develop capacity and skills to learn better.  The educator structures the content of the learning activity. (Good for clinical scenarios, teaching evidence based practice, assignments that involve research and application of ideas and problem solving activities)

The humanist orientation.  This views earning from the perspective of the unlimited potential for human growth.  These beliefs are the foundation of many adult learning theories that focus on the self-directed learner and the value of the learning process.  The purpose in education is to become self-actualised and autonomous (self-driven or self-directed) in learning.  The educator facilitates the development of the whole person.  (Good for exploring ethical dilemmas, developing critical thinking, project and portfolio work where there are general guidelines but no fixed or set limits on content.

The social and situational orientation.  This is based on the belief that people learn from others and interacting with other.  The context is important and the interaction of many factors help learning.  The purpose in education is full participation in communities of practice and utlisation of resources.  The educator works to establish communities of practice in which conversation and participation can occur.  (Good for class projects/activities, sharing experiences while on clinical placements).

·         Choose a learning theory for your Flexible learning Plan. (Explain the theory and why it is appropriate)

For this activity, I am going to focus on outcome 1. Demonstrate an ability to appropriately apply communication micro skills;

This outcome requires the student to appropriately apply communication micro skills.  As communication skills are an observable behaviour that can be changed I am going to use behavioural theory. 

First, I would select a case study where a number of communication skills could be assessed.  a mother takes her child to a clinic and the nurse has to take an oral health assessment of the child. 

I would organise students into groups of three: One as young adult/one as mother and one as observer.  The observer would have checklist that I had made to assess the desired communication skills.  It would include a tick list of required oral and non-verbal communication skills.  Measures would include ‘yes/no’, and a 7 point Likert scale to assess the extent the person demonstrated the observable behaviour of ………………………………

Students would read the case study and role descriptions before starting the exercise.  The first run through would be without any briefing concerning the required communication behaviours. .  Observers would report back to the other group members.

Then I would show a previously made DVD of the scenario showing all of the required professional communication skills. 

Students would then repeat the role play exercise.  Communication behaviours would be assessed again to see if the demonstrated communication behaviour had been achieved.  Roles could be swapped around so that everyone’s behaviour is assessed.

This communication role play activity could be used in a variety of other situations to teach ‘appropriate’ skills.  Through affirmation that students were performing the skills correctly evident in a higher score on the marking criteria, the desired communication skills would be reinforced (and hopefully the negative aspects extinguished). 

I have found an article (Brown et al., 2011) about assessing the communication styles of undergrdaute health students.   It mentions a Communication Style Measure which I might be able to track down and use.  it would be intersting to do a pre and posrt course measure.  This would be another indicator that behaviour had changed.

Reference. 

Brown, T., Williams, B., Boyle, M., Molloy, A., McKenna, L. Palermo, C., Molly, L, and Lewis, B. (2011).  Communication stlyes of undegraduate health students. Nurse Education Today (31), 317-322.