# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
to main content
A Trusted Partner in Patient Care | The Joint Commission

A doctor and a toddler in an observation room

A doctor and a toddler in an observation room

Sustainable healthcare practices provide meaningful, lasting health and operational benefits. Learn how The Joint Commission supports all healthcare organizations on their journey to efficient, effective and sustainable healthcare.

Sustainable healthcare

The experience was very collaborative where the surveyors shared best practices, were honest about concerns, and we had a nice dialog. They made it clear that they were here to help and inspire us to follow best practices. We really value their partnership and collaboration, and their commitment to patient safety and quality.

Debbie Hoffman - VP of Patient Services - Mosaic Medical Center

We looked at what the Joint Commission was measuring and compared how we were doing ourselves against industry norms. That helped us set baselines and targets for improvement.

Edna de Leon - Vice President of Quality - Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital

Working with The Joint Commission eased the process considerably. It was fluid and welcoming, and I felt as though we were totally being set up for success.

Brandy Amandolia - Manager for Accreditation Licensure - Wellstar Cobb Hospital

Stay up to date with all the latest Joint Commission news, blog posts, webinars, and communications.

Get answers to the most frequently asked questions about our standards.

Report a patient safety concern about a Joint Commission accredited provider.

Sign up to receive important updates from The Joint Commission with E‑Alerts.

Joint Commission-accredited organizations have access to a dedicated extranet site.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn about Joint Commission accreditation, certification and standards, plus measurement and performance improvement areas and our many helpful resources.

# data[].attributes.headline
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

# data[].attributes.subject
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

# data[].attributes.body
CCNE

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
powered by clearvantage association management software

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is the national voice for baccalaureate and graduate nursing education. AACN works to establish quality standards for nursing education; assists schools in implementing those standards; influences the nursing profession to improve health care; and promotes public support for professional nursing education, research, and practice.

# data[].attributes.body
Accreditation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
UNDERSTANDING THE CCNE Accreditation Process and the Role of the Continuous Improvement Progress Report

# data[].attributes.headline
The National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA)

# data[].attributes.subject
The National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Mission

The National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation ( CNEA) promotes excellence and integrity in nursing education globally through an accreditation process that respects the diversity of program mission, curricula, students, and faculty; emphasizes a culture of continuous quality improvement; and influences the preparation of a caring and competent nursing workforce.

Values

The NLN Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation implements its vision and carries out its accreditation activities guided by the National League for Nursing's core values - caring, diversity, integrity, and excellence - as applied to the accreditation process.

A culture of caring is demonstrated through an accreditation process that reflects a culture of advocacy for quality assurance in nursing education, and is implemented in a collegial, collaborative context with stakeholders. NLN CNEA staff, governance board, committee members, and onsite evaluation teams demonstrate through their interactions with stakeholders that accreditation standards can be upheld in a rigorous, yet caring and respectful manner.

A culture of diversity is evidenced by a commitment to accredit all types of nursing programs from LPN/LVN education through clinical doctorate education. NLN CNEA's accreditation standards reflect a respect for the diversity of nursing programs' mission, curricula, faculty, and students that can be found to exist in nursing education nationally and internationally.

A culture of integrity exists throughout NLN CNEA with a commitment to exercising personal, professional, and organizational integrity throughout the accreditation process. This is evidenced, in part, by ensuring transparency and ethical decision-making in all accreditation activities, and demonstrating open communication and timely responsiveness to stakeholders.

A culture of excellence is promoted through establishing clarity of purpose in the accreditation process with an emphasis on fostering continuous quality improvement in nursing programs. The outcome of a culture of excellence collaboratively instilled in nursing programs through participation in the accreditation process, is the creation of a student-centered learning environment that prepares a caring and competent nursing workforce.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation ( CNEA) promotes excellence and integrity in nursing education globally through an accreditation process that respects the diversity of program mission, curricula, students, and faculty; emphasizes a culture of continuous quality improvement; and influences the preparation of a caring and competent nursing workforce.

# data[].attributes.body
Accreditation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The ACEN has been accrediting nursing education programs for over 80 years. Under ACEN practice, a master's nursing program can also include post-master's certificate (PMC) program options. In 2012, the ACEN began accrediting clinical doctorate programs (DNP), and in 2019, the ACEN added a DNP Specialist certificate as a component of the DNP degree.

The ACEN has accredited graduate nursing programs regardless of the specialty area(s) offered within the program; specialty areas are referred to as program options by the ACEN. The ACEN firmly believes that the level of nursing offered by an institution should be in congruence with the institutional philosophy and meet the needs of the institution's communities of interest. Therefore, the ACEN will continue to accredit all APRN and non-APRN program options at the master's level and DNP level.

The ACEN also accredits nurse educator program options offered as part of either a master's or DNP program of study. The ACEN Board of Commissioners (BOC) firmly believes that the nurse educator role is a nursing practice specialty and that preparation at the graduate level is appropriate. The future of quality nursing programs is dependent upon having knowledgeable and skilled individuals with expertise in educational practice; thus, graduate programs should continue to offer well-designed nurse educator program options.

The 2023 ACEN Board of Commissioners and ACEN Nominating Committee election is in progress! ACEN Nurse Administrators may cast their votes until May 31, 2023, and newly elected members will take office October 1, 2023.

The following positions are open:
ACEN Board of Commissioners

1. Two nurse educators for a three-year term representing associate nursing programs

2. One nurse educator for a three-year term representing practicalnursing programs

3. One nurse clinician/practitioner for a three-year term representing nursing service

4. One member of the public for a three-year term

ACEN Nominating Committee

One nurse educator, nursing clinician/practitioner, or member of the public for a three-year term
January 25, 2023
On January 23, 2023, the Board of Commissioners for the ACEN appointed Dr. Nell Ard as the Interim Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Ard has served the ACEN for more than ten years, most recently in the position of Director. She has deep knowledge of the organization and stakeholders with more than three decades of experience in nursing education.

The appointment is effective immediately and follows the departure of Dr. Marcy Stoll who resigned from her position as ACEN Chief Executive Officer. We thank Dr. Stoll for her eight years of service and wish her well in her future endeavors. The ACEN Board of Commissioners will commence a search for a permanent Chief Executive Officer and has engaged a national executive search firm to help identify and evaluate qualified candidates.

REGISTER NOW FOR EARLY BIRD PRICING
ACEN 2023 Nursing Education Accreditation Conference
Register now and save $100 off regular admission price! REGISTRATION FEE Regular Price: $799 July 19-21, 2023 - Atlanta, Georgia
The ACEN 2023 Nursing Education Accreditation Conference is an in-person only event that will explore the theme "Breaking Barriers," which seeks to highlight innovations in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion; development of clinical judgment; and recruitment and retention strategies in nursing education and practice. This conference will offer opportunities to share your experiences and learn from the experiences of others through the lens of nursing education accreditation.

Early Bird Registration Price: $699

Fall 2023 Self-Study Forums
October 23-24 and October 26-27, 2023 - Atlanta, Georgia and Virtual

Are you preparing for a site visit? Do you and your faculty need to dive deeper into the ACEN Standards and Criteria? The Fall 2023 Self-Study Forum will focus on the new 2023 Standards and Criteria. During this two-day workshop, the ACEN in-house nurse educators review all five ACEN Standards and assist you in gaining a deeper understanding of each Criterion within the Standards. The goal is to support nursing faculty and administrators with demonstrating compliance and provide guidance for writing the Self-Study Report for individual programs in preparation for the ACEN site visit.

FEE: $599

Fall 2023 Program Administrators Workshop
October 25, 2023 - Atlanta, Georgia

The Program Administrator Workshop is designed and developed specifically for program administrators, faculty, coordinators, and other positions that have administrative responsibilities for the nursing program and/or nursing education unit. Workshop topics include roles/responsibilities for program leaders, themes from the ACEN 2023 Standards and Criteria, integration of ACEN policies, and maintenance of ACEN accreditation.

FEE: $199

There is an opportunity for you and your colleagues to serve nursing education and the nursing profession by becoming a peer evaluator. The ACEN is growing; the number of site visits per semester has increased from an average of 80 visits to 120 visits.

Your ACEN needs you to volunteer to be a peer evaluator.

Every ACEN-accredited nursing program benefits from having at least one nurse educator serving as a peer evaluator, and there is no limit to the number of peer evaluators from a nursing program. Many consider serving in the role of peer evaluator as an opportunity for service and as a professional commitment.

Transition-to-Practice Accreditation by ACEN

The leading authority for nursing education accreditation proudly brings you Transition-to-Practice (TTP) program accreditation. Transition to practice is a critical time during which a nurse develops the skills and attitudes necessary for autonomous nursing practice within her or his level of licensure. Transitions in nursing practice occur when an individual completes a nursing education program and obtains initial or a new level of nursing licensure, when a practicing nurse transitions to a new nursing role/responsibilities at the same level of licensure, or when a nurse re-enters the workforce after an extended absence. Current research suggests that successful transitions to practice result in improved patient safety and a better quality of nursing care.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The ACEN has been accrediting nursing education programs for over 80 years. Under ACEN practice, a master's nursing program can also include post-master's certificate (PMC) program options. In 2012, the ACEN began accrediting clinical doctorate programs (DNP), and in 2019, the ACEN added a DNP Specialist certificate as a component of the DNP degree.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Donald Kirkpatrick

Donald L Kirkpatrick, Professor Emeritus, University Of Wisconsin (where he achieved his BBA, MBA and PhD), first published his ideas in 1959, in a series of articles in the Journal of American Society of Training Directors. The articles were subsequently included in Kirkpatrick's book Evaluating Training Programs (originally published in 1994; now in its 3rd edition - Berrett-Koehler Publishers).

Donald Kirkpatrick was president of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) in 1975. Kirkpatrick has written several other significant books about training and evaluation, more recently with his similarly inclined son James, and has consulted with some of the world's largest corporations.

Donald Kirkpatrick's 1994 book Evaluating Training Programs defined his originally published ideas of 1959, thereby further increasing awareness of them, so that his theory has now become arguably the most widely used and popular model for the evaluation of training and learning. Kirkpatrick's four-level model is now considered an industry standard across the HR and training communities.

More recently Don Kirkpatrick formed his own company, Kirkpatrick Partners, whose website provides information about their services and methods, etc.

Kirkpatrick's Four Levels Model

The four levels of Kirkpatrick's evaluation model essentially measure:

Reaction of student - what they thought and felt about the training

Learning - the resulting increase in knowledge or capability

Behaviour - extent of behaviour and capability improvement and implementation/application

Results - the effects on the business or environment resulting from the trainee's performance

All these measures are recommended for full and meaningful evaluation of learning in organizations, although their application broadly increases in complexity, and usually cost, through the levels from level 1-4.
Quick Training Evaluation and Feedback Form, based on Kirkpatrick's Learning Evaluation Model - (Excel file)
Evaluation Overview

This grid illustrates the basic Kirkpatrick structure at a glance. The second grid, beneath this one, is the same thing with more detail.

Level Evaluation type (what is measured)Evaluation description and characteristics Examples of evaluation tools and methods Relevance and practicability

Reaction evaluation is how the delegates felt about the training or learning experience.

'Happy sheets', feedback forms.

Verbal reaction, post-training surveys or questionnaires.

Quick and very easy to obtain.

Not expensive to gather or to analyse.

Learning evaluation is the measurement of the increase in knowledge - before and after.

Typically assessments or tests before and after the training.

Interview or observation can also be used.

Relatively simple to set up; clear-cut for quantifiable skills.

Less easy for complex learning.

Behaviour evaluation is the extent of applied learning back on the job - implementation.

Observation and interview over time are required to assess change, relevance of change, and sustainability of change.

Measurement of behaviour change typically requires cooperation and skill of line-managers.

Results evaluation is the effect on the business or environment by the trainee.

Measures are already in place via normal management systems and reporting - the challenge is to relate to the trainee.

Individually not difficult; unlike whole organisation.

Process must attribute clear accountabilities.

Four Levels of Training Evaluation

This grid illustrates the Kirkpatrick's structure detail, and particularly the modern-day interpretation of the Kirkpatrick learning evaluation model, usage, implications, and examples of tools and methods. This diagram is the same format as the one above but with more detail and explanation:

Evaluation level and type Evaluation description and characteristics Examples of evaluation tools and methods Relevance and practicability

Reaction evaluation is how the delegates felt, and their personal reactions to the training or learning experience, for example:

Did the trainees like and enjoy the training?

Did they consider the training relevant?

Was it a good use of their time?

Did they like the venue, the style, timing, domestics, etc?

Level of participation.

Ease and comfort of experience.

Level of effort required to make the most of the learning.

Perceived practicability and potential for applying the learning.

Typically 'happy sheets'.

Feedback forms based on subjective personal reaction to the training experience.

Verbal reaction which can be noted and analysed.

Post-training surveys or questionnaires.

Online evaluation or grading by delegates.

Subsequent verbal or written reports given by delegates to managers back at their jobs.

Can be done immediately the training ends.

Very easy to obtain reaction feedback

Feedback is not expensive to gather or to analyse for groups.

Important to know that people were not upset or disappointed.

Important that people give a positive impression when relating their experience to others who might be deciding whether to experience same.

Learning evaluation is the measurement of the increase in knowledge or intellectual capability from before to after the learning experience:

Did the trainees learn what what intended to be taught?

Did the trainee experience what was intended for them to experience?

What is the extent of advancement or change in the trainees after the training, in the direction or area that was intended?

Typically assessments or tests before and after the training.

Interview or observation can be used before and after although this is time-consuming and can be inconsistent.

Methods of assessment need to be closely related to the aims of the learning.

Measurement and analysis is possible and easy on a group scale.

Reliable, clear scoring and measurements need to be established, so as to limit the risk of inconsistent assessment.

Hard-copy, electronic, online or interview style assessments are all possible.

Relatively simple to set up, but more investment and thought required than reaction evaluation.

Highly relevant and clear-cut for certain training such as quantifiable or technical skills.

Less easy for more complex learning such as attitudinal development, which is famously difficult to assess.

Cost escalates if systems are poorly designed, which increases work required to measure and analyse.

Behaviour evaluation is the extent to which the trainees applied the learning and changed their behaviour, and this can be immediately and several months after the training, depending on the situation:

Did the trainees put their learning into effect when back on the job?

Were the relevant skills and knowledge used

Was there noticeable and measurable change in the activity and performance of the trainees when back in their roles?

Was the change in behaviour and new level of knowledge sustained?

Would the trainee be able to transfer their learning to another person?

Is the trainee aware of their change in behaviour, knowledge, skill level?

Observation and interview over time are required to assess change, relevance of change, and sustainability of change.

Arbitrary snapshot assessments are not reliable because people change in different ways at different times.

Assessments need to be subtle and ongoing, and then transferred to a suitable analysis tool.

Assessments need to be designed to reduce subjective judgement of the observer or interviewer, which is a variable factor that can affect reliability and consistency of measurements.

The opinion of the trainee, which is a relevant indicator, is also subjective and unreliable, and so needs to be measured in a consistent defined way.

360-degree feedback is useful method and need not be used before training, because respondents can make a judgement as to change after training, and this can be analysed for groups of respondents and trainees.

Assessments can be designed around relevant performance scenarios, and specific key performance indicators or criteria.

Online and electronic assessments are more difficult to incorporate - assessments tend to be more successful when integrated within existing management and coaching protocols.

Self-assessment can be useful, using carefully designed criteria and measurements.

Measurement of behaviour change is less easy to quantify and interpret than reaction and learning evaluation.

Simple quick response systems unlikely to be adequate.

Cooperation and skill of observers, typically line-managers, are important factors, and difficult to control.

Management and analysis of ongoing subtle assessments are difficult, and virtually impossible without a well-designed system from the beginning.

Evaluation of implementation and application is an extremely important assessment - there is little point in a good reaction and good increase in capability if nothing changes back in the job, therefore evaluation in this area is vital, albeit challenging.

Behaviour change evaluation is possible given good support and involvement from line managers or trainees, so it is helpful to involve them from the start, and to identify benefits for them, which links to the level 4 evaluation below.

Results evaluation is the effect on the business or environment resulting from the improved performance of the trainee - it is the acid test.

Measures would typically be business or organisational key performance indicators, such as:

Volumes, values, percentages, timescales, return on investment, and other quantifiable aspects of organisational performance, for instance; numbers of complaints, staff turnover, attrition, failures, wastage, non-compliance, quality ratings, achievement of standards and accreditations, growth, retention, etc.

It is possible that many of these measures are already in place via normal management systems and reporting.

The challenge is to identify which and how relate to to the trainee's input and influence.

Therefore it is important to identify and agree accountability and relevance with the trainee at the start of the training, so they understand what is to be measured.

This process overlays normal good management practice - it simply needs linking to the training input.

Failure to link to training input type and timing will greatly reduce the ease by which results can be attributed to the training.

For senior people particularly, annual appraisals and ongoing agreement of key business objectives are integral to measuring business results derived from training.

Individually, results evaluation is not particularly difficult; across an entire organisation it becomes very much more challenging, not least because of the reliance on line-management, and the frequency and scale of changing structures, responsibilities and roles, which complicates the process of attributing clear accountability.

Also, external factors greatly affect organisational and business performance, which cloud the true cause of good or poor results.

Since Kirkpatrick established his original model, other theorists (for example Jack Phillips), and indeed Kirkpatrick himself, have referred to a possible fifth level, namely ROI (Return On Investment). In my view ROI can easily be included in Kirkpatrick's original fourth level 'Results'. The inclusion and relevance of a fifth level is therefore arguably only relevant if the assessment of Return On Investment might otherwise be ignored or forgotten when referring simply to the 'Results' level.

Learning evaluation is a widely researched area. This is understandable since the subject is fundamental to the existence and performance of education around the world, not least universities, which of course contain most of the researchers and writers.

While Kirkpatrick's model is not the only one of its type, for most industrial and commercial applications it suffices; indeed most organisations would be absolutely thrilled if their training and learning evaluation, and thereby their ongoing people-development, were planned and managed according to Kirkpatrick's model.

For reference, should you be keen to look at more ideas, there are many to choose from...

Jack Phillips' Five Level ROI Model

Daniel Stufflebeam's CIPP Model (Context, Input, Process, Product)

Robert Stake's Responsive Evaluation Model

Robert Stake's Congruence-Contingency Model

Kaufman's Five Levels of Evaluation

CIRO (Context, Input, Reaction, Outcome)

PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique)

Alkins' UCLA Model

Michael Scriven's Goal-Free Evaluation Approach

Provus's Discrepancy Model

Eisner's Connoisseurship Evaluation Models

Illuminative Evaluation Model

Portraiture Model

and also the American Evaluation Association

Also look at Leslie Rae's excellent Training Evaluation and tools available on this site, which, given Leslie's experience and knowledge, will save you the job of researching and designing your own tools.

Evaluation of HRD Function Performance

If you are responsible for HR functions and services to internal and/or external customers, you might find it useful to go beyond Kirkpatrick's evaluation of training and learning, and to evaluate also satisfaction among staff/customers with HR department's overall performance. The parameters for such an evaluation ultimately depend on what your HR function is responsible for - in other words, evaluate according to expectations.

Like anything else, evaluating customer satisfaction must first begin with a clear appreciation of (internal) customers' expectations. Expectations - agreed, stated, published or otherwise - provide the basis for evaluating all types of customer satisfaction.

If people have expectations which go beyond HR department's stated and actual responsibilities, then the matter must be pursued because it will almost certainly offer an opportunity to add value to HR's activities, and to add value and competitive advantage to your organisation as a whole. In this fast changing world, HR is increasingly the department which is most likely to see and respond to new opportunities for the support and development of the your people - so respond, understand, and do what you can to meet new demands when you see them.

If you are keen to know how well HR department is meeting people's expectations, a questionnaire, and/or some group discussions will shed light on the situation.

Here are some example questions. Effectively you should be asking people to say how well HR or HRD department has done the following:

Helped me to identify, understand, and prioritise my personal development needs and wishes, in terms of: skills, knowledge, experience and attitude (or personal well-being, or emotional maturity, or mood, or mind-set, or any other suitable term meaning mental approach, which people will respond to)

Helped me to understand my own preferred learning style and learning methods for acquiring new skills, knowledge and attitudinal capabilities

Helped me to identify and obtain effective learning and development that suits my preferred style and circumstances

Helped me to measure my development, and for the measurement to be clear to my boss and others in the organisation who should know about my capabilities

Provided tools and systems to encourage and facilitate my personal development

And particularly helped to optimise the relationship between me and my boss relating to assisting my own personal development and well-being

Provided a working environment that protects me from discrimination and harassment of any sort

Provided the opportunity for me to voice my grievances if I have any, (in private, to a suitably trained person in the company whom I trust) and then if I so wish for proper consideration and response to be given to them by the company

Provided the opportunity for me to receive counselling and advice in the event that I need private and supportive help of this type, again from a suitably trained person in the company whom I trust

Ensured that disciplinary processes are clear and fair, and include the right of appeal

Ensured that recruitment and promotion of staff are managed fairly and transparently

Ensuring that systems and activities exist to keep all staff informed of company plans, performance, etc., (as normally included in a Team Briefing system)

(If you dare...) ensuring that people are paid and rewarded fairly in relation to other company employees, and separately, paid and rewarded fairly when compared to market norms (your CEO will not like this question, but if you have a problem in this area it's best to know about it...)

(And for managers) helped me to ensure the development needs of my staff are identified and supported

This is not an exhaustive list - just some examples. Many of the examples contain elements which should under typical large company circumstances be broken down to create more and smaller questions about more specific aspects of HR support and services.

If you work in HR, or run an HR department, and consider that some of these issues and expectations fall outside your remit, then consider who else is responsible for them.

I repeat, in this fast changing world, HR is increasingly the department which is most likely to see and respond to new opportunities for the support and development of the your people - so respond, understand, and do what you can to meet new demands when you see them. In doing so you will add value to your people and your organisation - and your department.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Donald L Kirkpatrick, Professor Emeritus, University Of Wisconsin (where he achieved his BBA, MBA and PhD), first published his ideas in 1959, in a series of articles in the Journal of American Society of Training Directors. The articles were subsequently included in Kirkpatrick's book Evaluating Training Programs (originally published in 1994; now in its 3rd edition - Berrett-Koehler Publishers).

# data[].attributes.body
Nursing Students in Simulation Scenario

# data[].attributes.body
This website describes metacognition and strategies for implementing it in course work

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Cite this guide: Chick, N. (2013). Metacognition. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved [todaysdate] from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/metacognition/.

Thinking about One's Thinking | Putting Metacognition into Practice

Thinking about One's Thinking

Metacognition is, put simply, thinking about one's thinking. More precisely, it refers to the processes used to plan, monitor, and assess one's understanding and performance. Metacognition includes a critical awareness of a) one's thinking and learning and b) oneself as a thinker and learner.

Initially studied for its development in young children (Baker & Brown, 1984; Flavell, 1985), researchers soon began to look at how experts display metacognitive thinking and how, then, these thought processes can be taught to novices to improve their learning (Hatano & Inagaki, 1986). In How People Learn, the National Academy of Sciences' synthesis of decades of research on the science of learning, one of the three key findings of this work is the effectiveness of a "'metacognitive' approach to instruction" (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000, p. 18).

Metacognitive practices increase students' abilities to transfer or adapt their learning to new contexts and tasks (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, p. 12; Palincsar & Brown, 1984; Scardamalia et al., 1984; Schoenfeld, 1983, 1985, 1991). They do this by gaining a level of awareness above the subject matter: they also think about the tasks and contexts of different learning situations and themselves as learners in these different contexts. When Pintrich (2002) asserts that "Students who know about the different kinds of strategies for learning, thinking, and problem solving will be more likely to use them" (p. 222), notice the students must "know about" these strategies, not just practice them. As Zohar and David (2009) explain, there must be a " conscious meta-strategic level of H[igher] O[rder] T[hinking]" (p. 179).

Metacognitive practices help students become aware of their strengths and weaknesses as learners, writers, readers, test-takers, group members, etc. A key element is recognizing the limit of one's knowledge or ability and then figuring out how to expand that knowledge or extend the ability. Those who know their strengths and weaknesses in these areas will be more likely to "actively monitor their learning strategies and resources and assess their readiness for particular tasks and performances" (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, p. 67).

The absence of metacognition connects to the research by Dunning, Johnson, Ehrlinger, and Kruger on "Why People Fail to Recognize Their Own Incompetence" (2003). They found that "people tend to be blissfully unaware of their incompetence," lacking "insight about deficiencies in their intellectual and social skills." They identified this pattern across domains-from test-taking, writing grammatically, thinking logically, to recognizing humor, to hunters' knowledge about firearms and medical lab technicians' knowledge of medical terminology and problem-solving skills (p. 83-84). In short, "if people lack the skills to produce correct answers, they are also cursed with an inability to know when their answers, or anyone else's, are right or wrong" (p. 85). This research suggests that increased metacognitive abilities-to learn specific (and correct) skills, how to recognize them, and how to practice them-is needed in many contexts.

Putting Metacognition into Practice

In " Promoting Student Metacognition," Tanner (2012) offers a handful of specific activities for biology classes, but they can be adapted to any discipline. She first describes four assignments for explicit instruction (p. 116):

Preassessments-Encouraging Students to Examine Their Current Thinking: "What do I already know about this topic that could guide my learning?"

The Muddiest Point-Giving Students Practice in Identifying Confusions: "What was most confusing to me about the material explored in class today?"

Retrospective Postassessments-Pushing Students to Recognize Conceptual Change: "Before this course, I thought evolution was... Now I think that evolution is ...." or "How is my thinking changing (or not changing) over time?"

Reflective Journals-Providing a Forum in Which Students Monitor Their Own Thinking: "What about my exam preparation worked well that I should remember to do next time? What did not work so well that I should not do next time or that I should change?"

Next are recommendations for developing a "classroom culture grounded in metacognition" (p. 116-118):

Giving Students License to Identify Confusions within the Classroom Culture: ask students what they find confusing, acknowledge the difficulties

Integrating Reflection into Credited Course Work: integrate short reflection (oral or written) that ask students what they found challenging or what questions arose during an assignment/exam/project

Metacognitive Modeling by the Instructor for Students: model the thinking processes involved in your field and sought in your course by being explicit about "how you start, how you decide what to do first and then next, how you check your work, how you know when you are done" (p. 118)

To facilitate these activities, she also offers three useful tables:

Questions for students to ask themselves as they plan, monitor, and evaluate their thinking within four learning contexts-in class, assignments, quizzes/exams, and the course as a whole (p. 115)

Prompts for integrating metacognition into discussions of pairs during clicker activities, assignments, and quiz or exam preparation (p. 117)

Questions to help faculty metacognitively assess their own teaching (p. 119)

Weimer's " Deep Learning vs. Surface Learning: Getting Students to Understand the Difference " (2012) offers additional recommendations for developing students' metacognitive awareness and improvement of their study skills:

"[I]t is terribly important that in explicit and concerted ways we make students aware of themselves as learners. We must regularly ask, not only 'What are you learning?' but 'How are you learning?' We must confront them with the effectiveness (more often ineffectiveness) of their approaches. We must offer alternatives and then challenge students to test the efficacy of those approaches." (emphasis added)

She points to a tool developed by Stanger-Hall (2012, p. 297) for her students to identify their study strategies, which she divided into " cognitively passive" ("I previewed the reading before class," "I came to class," "I read the assigned text," "I highlighted the text," et al) and " cognitively active study behaviors" ("I asked myself: 'How does it work?' and 'Why does it work this way?'" "I wrote my own study questions," "I fit all the facts into a bigger picture," "I closed my notes and tested how much I remembered," et al). The specific focus of Stanger-Hall's study is tangential to this discussion, ¹ but imagine giving students lists like hers adapted to your course and then, after a major assignment, having students discuss which ones worked and which types of behaviors led to higher grades. Even further, follow Lovett's advice (2013) by assigning "exam wrappers," which include students reflecting on their previous exam-preparation strategies, assessing those strategies and then looking ahead to the next exam, and writing an action plan for a revised approach to studying. A common assignment in English composition courses is the self-assessment essay in which students apply course criteria to articulate their strengths and weaknesses within single papers or over the course of the semester. These activities can be adapted to assignments other than exams or essays, such as projects, speeches, discussions, and the like.

As these examples illustrate, for students to become more metacognitive, they must be taught the concept and its language explicitly (Pintrich, 2002; Tanner, 2012), though not in a content-delivery model (simply a reading or a lecture) and not in one lesson. Instead, the explicit instruction should be "designed according to a knowledge construction approach," or students need to recognize, assess, and connect new skills to old ones, "and it needs to take place over an extended period of time" (Zohar & David, p. 187). This kind of explicit instruction will help students expand or replace existing learning strategies with new and more effective ones, give students a way to talk about learning and thinking, compare strategies with their classmates' and make more informed choices, and render learning "less opaque to students, rather than being something that happens mysteriously or that some students 'get' and learn and others struggle and don't learn" (Pintrich, 2002, p. 223).

Metacognition instruction should also be embedded with the content and activities about which students are thinking. Why? Metacognition is "not generic" (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, p. 19) but instead is most effective when it is adapted to reflect the specific learning contexts of a specific topic, course, or discipline (Zohar & David, 2009). In explicitly connecting a learning context to its relevant processes, learners will be more able to adapt strategies to new contexts, rather than assume that learning is the same everywhere and every time. For instance, students' abilities to read disciplinary texts in discipline-appropriate ways would also benefit from metacognitive practice. A literature professor may read a passage of a novel aloud in class, while also talking about what she's thinking as she reads: how she makes sense of specific words and phrases, what connections she makes, how she approaches difficult passages, etc. This kind of modeling is a good practice in metacognition instruction, as suggested by Tanner above. Concepción's " Reading Philosophy with Background Knowledge and Metacognition " (2004) includes his detailed "How to Read Philosophy" handout (pp. 358-367), which includes the following components:

What to Expect (when reading philosophy)

The Ultimate Goal (of reading philosophy)

Basic Good Reading Behaviors

Important Background Information, or discipline- and course-specific reading practices, such as "reading for enlightenment" rather than information, and "problem-based classes" rather than historical or figure-based classes

A Three-Part Reading Process (pre-reading, understanding, and evaluating)

Flagging, or annotating the reading

Linear vs. Dialogical Writing (Philosophical writing is rarely straightforward but instead "a monologue that contains a dialogue" [p. 365].)

What would such a handout look like for your discipline?

Students can even be metacognitively prepared (and then prepare themselves) for the overarching learning experiences expected in specific contexts. Salvatori and Donahue's The Elements (and Pleasures) of Difficulty (2004) encourages students to embrace difficult texts (and tasks) as part of deep learning, rather than an obstacle. Their "difficulty paper" assignment helps students reflect on and articulate the nature of the difficulty and work through their responses to it (p. 9). Similarly, in courses with sensitive subject matter, a different kind of learning occurs, one that involves complex emotional responses. In " Learning from Their Own Learning: How Metacognitive and Meta-affective Reflections Enhance Learning in Race-Related Courses" (Chick, Karis, & Kernahan, 2009), students were informed about the common reactions to learning about racial inequality (Helms, 1995; Adams, Bell, & Griffin, 1997; see student handout, Chick, Karis, & Kernahan, p. 23-24) and then regularly wrote about their cognitive and affective responses to specific racialized situations. The students with the most developed metacognitive and meta-affective practices at the end of the semester were able to "clear the obstacles and move away from" oversimplified thinking about race and racism "to places of greater questioning, acknowledging the complexities of identity, and redefining the world in racial terms" (p. 14).

Ultimately, metacognition requires students to "externalize mental events" (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, p. 67), such as what it means to learn, awareness of one's strengths and weaknesses with specific skills or in a given learning context, plan what's required to accomplish a specific learning goal or activity, identifying and correcting errors, and preparing ahead for learning processes.

--------

1 Students who were tested with short answer in addition to multiple-choice questions on their exams reported more cognitively active behaviors than those tested with just multiple-choice questions, and these active behaviors led to improved performance on the final exam.
References

Adams, Maurianne, Bell, Lee Ann, and Griffin, Pat. (1997). Teaching for diversity and social justice: A sourcebook. New York: Routledge.

Bransford, John D., Brown Ann L., and Cocking Rodney R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

Baker, Linda, and Brown, Ann L. (1984). Metacognitive skills and reading. In Paul David Pearson, Michael L. Kamil, Rebecca Barr, & Peter Mosenthal (Eds.), Handbook of research in reading: Volume III (pp. 353-395). New York: Longman.

Brown, Ann L. (1980). Metacognitive development and reading. In Rand J. Spiro, Bertram C. Bruce, and William F. Brewer, (Eds.), Theoretical issues in reading comprehension: Perspectives from cognitive psychology, linguistics, artificial intelligence, and education (pp. 453-482). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Chick, Nancy, Karis, Terri, and Kernahan, Cyndi. (2009). Learning from their own learning: how metacognitive and meta-affective reflections enhance learning in race-related courses . International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 3(1). 1-28.

Flavell, John H. (1985). Cognitive development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Hatano, Giyoo and Inagaki, Kayoko. (1986). Two courses of expertise. In Harold Stevenson, Azuma, Horishi, and Hakuta, Kinji (Eds.), Child development and education in Japan, New York: W.H. Freeman.

Lovett, Marsha C. (2013). Make exams worth more than the grade. In Matthew Kaplan, Naomi Silver, Danielle LaVague-Manty, and Deborah Meizlish (Eds.), Using reflection and metacognition to improve student learning: Across the disciplines, across the academy. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Salvatori, Mariolina Rizzi, and Donahue, Patricia. (2004). The Elements (and pleasures) of difficulty. New York: Pearson-Longman.

Schoenfeld, Alan H. (1991). On mathematics as sense making: An informal attack on the fortunate divorce of formal and informal mathematics. In James F. Voss, David N. Perkins, and Judith W. Segal (Eds.), Informal reasoning and education (pp. 311-344). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Weimer, Maryellen. (2012, November 19). Deep learning vs. surface learning: Getting students to understand the difference. Retrieved from the Teaching Professor Blog from http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/deep-learning-vs-surface-learning-getting-students-to-understand-the-difference/.

This teaching guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Photo credit: wittygrittyinvisiblegirl via Compfight cc

Photo Credit: Helga Weber via Compfight cc

Photo Credit: fiddle oak via Compfight cc

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Nancy Chick Print Version Cite this guide: Chick, N. (2013). Metacognition. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved [todaysdate] from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/metacognition/. Thinking about One's Thinking | Putting Metacognition into Practice Thinking about One's Thinking Metacognition is, put simply, thinking about one's thinking. More precisely, it refers to the processes used to plan, monitor, and assess...

# data[].attributes.body
Metacognition

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Do you know how to learn? Many people don't. Specifically, they don't know how to look inward to examine how they learn and to judge which methods are effective.

That's where metacognitive strategies come in. They are techniques that help people become more successful learners. Shouldn't this be a crucial goal of instructional design?

Improved metacognition can facilitate both formal and informal learning. It can improve the performance of new tasks on the job and help teams problem solve more effectively.

But let's start at the beginning. Here are some things learning professionals should know about metacognition.

What is metacognition?

1. Metacognition is often referred to as "thinking about thinking." But that's just a quick definition. Metacognition is a regulatory system that helps a person understand and control his or her own cognitive performance.

2. Metacognition allows people to take charge of their own learning. It involves awareness of how they learn, an evaluation of their learning needs, generating strategies to meet these needs and then implementing the strategies. (Hacker, 2009)

3. Learners often show an increase in self-confidence when they build metacognitive skills. Self-efficacy improves motivation as well as learning success.

4. Metacognitive skills are generally learned during a later stage of development. Metacognitive strategies can often (but not always) be stated by the individual who is using them.

5. For all age groups, metacognitive knowledge is crucial for efficient independent learning because it fosters forethought and self-reflection.

The Two Processes of Metacognition

Many theorists organize the skills of metacognition into two complementary processes that make it easier to understand and remember. According to theory, metacognition consists of: 1) the knowledge of cognition and 2) the regulation of cognition.

1. Knowledge of cognition has three components: knowledge of the factors that influence one's own performance; knowing different types of strategies to use for learning; knowing what strategy to use for a specific learning situation.

2. Regulation of cognition involves: setting goals and planning; monitoring and controlling learning; and evaluating one's own regulation (assessing results and strategies used).

Metacognition and Expertise

1. Many experts cannot explain the skills they use to elicit expert performance. This is considered tacit knowledge. (See Strategies for Tacit Knowledge Transfer.)

2. Metacognitive strategies often separate an expert from a novice. For example, experts are able to plan effectively on a global level at the start of a task-a novice won't see the big picture.

3. Some adults with expertise in one domain can transfer their metacognitive skills to learn more rapidly in another domain.

4. On the other hand, some adults do not spontaneously transfer metacognitive skills to new settings and thus, will need help doing so.

Examples of Metacognition Skills You May Use

Successful learners typically use metacognitive strategies whenever they learn. But they may fail to use the best strategy for each type of learning situation. Here are some metacognitive strategies that will sound familiar to you:

1. Knowing the limits of your own memory for a particular task and creating a means of external support.

2. Self-monitoring your learning strategy, such as concept mapping, and then adapting the strategy if it isn't effective.

3. Noticing whether you comprehend something you just read and then modifying your approach if you did not comprehend it.

4. Choosing to skim subheadings of unimportant information to get to the information you need.

5. Repeatedly rehearsing a skill in order to gain proficiency.

6. Periodically doing self-tests to see how well you learned something.

Metacognitive Strategies

Metacognitive strategies facilitate learning how to learn. You can incorporate these, as appropriate, into eLearning courses, social learning experiences, pre- and post-training activities and other formal or informal learning experiences.

1. Ask Questions. During formal courses and in post-training activities, ask questions that allow learners to reflect on their own learning processes and strategies. In collaborative learning, ask them to reflect on the role they play when problem solving in teams.

2. Foster Self-reflection. Emphasize the importance of personal reflection during and after learning experiences. Encourage learners to critically analyze their own assumptions and how this may have influenced their learning. (Read about transformative learning.)

3. Encourage Self-questioning. Foster independent learning by asking learners to generate their own questions and answer them to enhance comprehension. The questions can be related to meeting their personal goals

4. Teach Strategies Directly. Teach appropriate metacognitive strategies as a part of a training course.

5. Promote Autonomous Learning. When learners have some domain knowledge, encourage participation in challenging learning experiences. They will then be forced to construct their own metacognitive strategies.

6. Provide Access to Mentors. Many people learn best by interacting with peers who are slightly more advanced. Promote experiences where novices can observe the proficient use of a skill and then gain access to the metacognitive strategies of their mentors.

7. Solve Problems with a Team: Cooperative problem solving can enhance metacognitive strategies by discussing possible approaches with team members and learning from each other.

8. Think Aloud. Teach learners how to think aloud and report their thoughts while performing a difficult task. A knowledgeable partner can then point out errors in thinking or the individual can use this approach for increased self-awareness during learning. Another approach to thinking aloud is the working out loud approach. Listen to this interview with Jane Bozarth about working out loud.

9. Self-explanation. Self-explanation in writing or speaking can help learners improve their comprehension of a difficult subject.

10. Provide Opportunities for Making Errors. When learners are given the opportunity to make errors while in training, such as during simulations, it stimulates reflection on the causes of their errors.

In summary, metacognition is a set of skills that enable learners to become aware of how they learn and to evaluate and adapt these skills to become increasingly effective at learning. In a world that demands lifelong learning, providing people with new and improved metacognitive strategies is a gift that can last forever.
References:

1. Hacker, Douglas J., John Dunlosky and Arthur C. Graesser (Eds.). Handbook of Metacognition in Education, 2009.

2. Pashler, H. et al., Organizing instruction and study to improve student learning. IES practice guide, 2007. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/practiceguides/20072004.pdf

3. Smith, Cecil M. and Thomas Pourchot. Adult Learning and Development: Perspectives From Educational Psychology, 1998.

4. White, Barbara and John Frederiksen. A Theoretical Framework and Approach for Fostering Metacognitive Development. Educational Psychologist, 40(4), 211-223, 2005.

5. Wilson, Arthur L. and Elisabeth Hayes, Handbook of Adult and Continuing Education by American Association for Adult and Continuing Education.

6. Handbook of Metacognition in Education Douglas J. Hacker, John Dunlosky and Arthur C. Graesser (Eds.).

Get the latest articles, resources and freebies once a month plus my free eBook, Writing for Instructional Design.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Metacognition And Learning: Strategies For Instructional Design

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Do you know how to learn? Many people don't. Specifically, they don't know how to look inward to examine how they learn and to judge which methods are effective. That's where metacognitive strategies come in. They are techniques that help people become more successful learners. Shouldn't this be a crucial goal of instructional design?

# data[].attributes.body
TEDxWilliamsport - Dr. Derek Cabrera

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
TEDxWilliamsport - Dr. Derek Cabrera - How Thinking Works

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Listen to an extended version of this post as a podcast (transcript):
Sponsored by Peergrade and mysimpleshow

I first became aware that there might be a problem a few years ago, when one of my kids was studying weather systems: high- and low-pressure systems, cold fronts and warm fronts. We were trying to help her prepare for a test and also do some sort of homework, and she didn't get it at all.

We were really frustrated, my husband and I, because all we really had as a reference was the top half of this worksheet that explained the concept. So we were having trouble explaining it to her, and at one point I finally said to her, "You know, in your class, didn't your teacher ever draw a diagram on the board?"

She said, "No."

I said, "Did you guys ever do anything like where the teacher would grab a small group of kids and say, 'OK, you three, you're going to be a cold front, and then you three, you're going to be a warm front. Come up to the front of the room, OK. And I want this group here, I want you to wiggle around really fast because you are, I don't know, high pressure. And this group, I want you to move really, really slowly.'"

I was trying to figure out if there had ever been some kind of physical demonstration of these concepts. It seemed like even a three-minute re-enactment of how these systems work would help the kids get it right away.

"Did your teacher ever do anything like that?" I asked.

She looked at me like I was crazy and said no.

I said, "Well how did you learn this? How did you actually learn this for the first time?"

"Well," she said, "we just read the book."

"What do you mean 'we read the book'?" I asked. "Did everybody sit down quietly and read it and then the teacher talked to you?"

"No. We just opened it up to page 36, and then she would read a little bit to us, and then explain something, and then we would read a little bit more, and then she would say something else, and that was it."

"Is it like that all the time?" I asked, hoping for a no.

She shrugged and said, "Basically."

This was a couple of years ago, when my kids were all still in elementary school, but since that time, I've seen this pattern more and more as they've gotten older: Every day, for the most part, information is delivered to them in some really basic way-usually PowerPoint-and the kids copy down what the teacher tells them to from the slides. Then they have some sort of worksheet where they're basically regurgitating what was on those slides. After this cycle repeats four or five times, they have some kind of test. And that's it.

This is not good. If we want our students to actually learn the facts and concepts and ideas we're trying to teach them, they have to experience those things in some way that rises above abstract words on paper. They have to process them. Manipulate them.

To really learn in a way that will stick, they have to DO something.

I realize I'm probably preaching to the choir here-that people who read these posts are probably doing a lot more in class than this information-in, information-out model-and if that's true for you, then great. But I listen to teachers talk all the time: in schools, on social media, in private messages, and I know that things are not going well for you all of the time. I hear teachers talk about "covering" concepts in class and even reviewing them with games, only to end up with half the class failing an exam. This is incredibly frustrating; I know. But the truth is, just because you covered it, it doesn't mean they learned it.

And I know that this is going to upset some people, but if you have a lot of students failing your tests, and those students are in class and they're showing up, then the problem is not them. The problem is you. It's something you're doing, or maybe something you're not doing.

The Problem: A Gap in the Lesson Plan

First, let me say that authentic, project-based learning is probably the best way to have students experience meaningful learning. But many schools and classrooms aren't quite there yet: They deliver instruction in a more traditional way. That model can still result in solid learning, if it's implemented correctly. And that's where I'm seeing a problem. I think we're skipping over one of the most important steps in our lesson plans.

Let's consider the classic lesson plan format:

1. Anticipatory set: This is where we get students interested in the lesson and set objectives for the day.

2. Direct instruction: Facts, concepts, and skills are delivered via lecture, video, reading-some way of getting the information into students' heads.

3. Guided practice and application: With the support of the teacher, students apply what they have just been taught.

4. Independent practice and application: Students apply the learning on their own.

5. Assessment: The teacher measures how well students have met the objectives.

I think what's happening is that we're skipping over the third step. We're going right to independent practice (often at the lowest levels-basic regurgitation), but students aren't being given any kind of task to actually process or apply the material in a meaningful way. We go straight from direct instruction to independent practice to assessment.

In some cases, we may even be skipping both steps 3 and 4. Not too long ago I had to help another of my kids study for a social studies test. All we had to work with were notes copied from a PowerPoint. I didn't understand the meaning of half of them, because they were just bulleted phrases, so it was nearly impossible to review the material. When I pointed at individual items and asked my kid to tell me what they meant, that turned out to be too difficult. The teacher had just told them to write down that bullet point, but my kid left class that day not really knowing what it meant.

Because I was a teacher myself, I know there's got to be more to the story. I remember how students could misrepresent or oversimplify the things we did in class. I would bet that this teacher took time to explain these concepts before having students copy down bullet points. But it wasn't enough. My kid was in class, paying attention, writing down the notes, but still didn't learn a whole lot.

Apart from the poor quality learning, this gap in our teaching is a problem for two more reasons.

For one, it doesn't align with the standards. Look at any social studies standards for middle school, in pretty much any state. Do any of them say that kids need to be able to identify names of significant people in historical periods, or be able to regurgitate facts about certain cultures or regions?

No. They want students to be able to understand the relationships between social movements and changes and other influences. They want students to be able to explain and analyze things. I just randomly pulled up Wisconsin's standards for grade 7 social studies. Here's an example of what these students should be doing when they learn history (from page 10):

1. Use historical evidence for determining cause and effect.

2. Analyze, recognize, and evaluate patterns of continuity and change over time and contextualization of historical events.

3. Connect past events, people, and ideas to the present, use different perspectives to draw conclusions, and suggest current implications.

4. Evaluate a variety of primary and secondary sources to interpret the historical context, intended audience, purpose, and/or author's point of view.

These standards are GORGEOUS. If students are actually doing these things in Wisconsin middle schools, that would be amazing. But if Wisconsin is like a lot of other places, my guess is that students are sitting through PowerPoint lectures, copying notes from the PowerPoints, and transferring that information to worksheets and tests.

I know it seems like I'm picking on social studies here, but that's just because social studies is such an information-driven subject area. The same could be said for science, health, and other content-heavy classes. Even in English language arts, which really should be driven more by practicing reading and writing, there are some teachers who manage to run mostly lecture-worksheet-test-based classes.

The other problem with this kind of teaching is that it makes kids hate school. I already dealt with this extensively in this post about excessive use of worksheets, but it's worth repeating: When we do little more than have students copy down information or fill out worksheets, we are making school an awful place to be.

In a 2014 article, instructional coach Alexis Wiggins reported on her findings after shadowing two high school students through a typical school day. She was horrified by the amount of sitting and passive learning these students were subjected to. Friends of mine who work as instructional consultants and coaches, who visit hundreds of classrooms every year, say they see more low-level seatwork than anything else.

My own kids hate school more and more the older they get. And they rarely bring home anything lower than an A. The other parents I talk to-who live all around the country-report a similar pattern more often than not. This is not an isolated issue.

Why Is This Happening?

I think this epidemic of passive learning has come about for a couple of reasons:

High-Stakes Testing Mania

We're in an environment right now that is so driven by high-stakes testing and data that teachers have no choice but to only do things that produce data. Teachers say that they would like to be doing more engaging activities, but they end up in this cycle of information in, information out, assess, get a score, move to the next step again, repeat.

Death by Documentation

I'm hearing more and more from teachers who are required to document the crap out of their day -super detailed lesson plans, all the way down to having to indicate what font size they're using on something. When you have to do that much documentation, it squeezes teachers' time so much that they go to this default setting of get the content out there, cover it, test it, and move to the next thing.

Holes in Teacher Preparation

A friend who consults with schools tells me she believes teachers do not have sufficient tools in their toolbox for teaching. They literally don't know enough strategies for actively engaging students in the content, and that teacher prep programs may not be equipping teachers with enough strategies. Many teachers don't necessarily know how to go beyond direct instruction, worksheets, and tests, so they just go with the default. With teacher turnover at such a high rate and the number of emergency certifications growing in some states, it may be that teacher prep programs may not even be involved: There may not be much preparation at all.

The first two reasons need to be addressed at an administrative, policy level. But the last one we can deal with right now.

How Do We Fix It?

Now comes the good news. This problem can be solved in so many ways, and the solutions don't have to be complicated, time-consuming, or fancy. Simply add activities into your instruction that will help students build more pathways in their brains, see patterns, connect to previous knowledge, and experience some novelty so they remember the material better.

In between the direct instruction step and the assessment step of your planning, start adding in some of these activities:

1. Sorting

Organize the material by similarities and differences, categorize it, label it, do something that requires students to activate schema and create connections. An inductive learning lesson would be great for this.

2. Kinesthetic Work

Doing short role-plays and simulations can really help students visualize relationships and processes. This can also be done by creating models with Play-Doh or cardboard, or doing some kind of a maker project that connects to your standard.

3. Discussion

Even giving students a few minutes to discuss a topic-especially if they are taking some kind of a stance on the content and backing it up with evidence-can do so much to help them process and learn the content. But make sure all students are participating! Check out this big list of discussion strategies for tons of ideas.

4. Graphic Representations

Having students put the material into any kind of visual form will help them remember it better and understand how concepts are related. Graphic organizers and sketchnotes are two ways to accomplish this. Students can do these on their own or they can be constructed as a class with your support-for especially challenging concepts, this may be most effective.

5. Write to Learn

When students process ideas in writing, they are forced to synthesize the information that has only entered their brains passively, so stopping instruction every now and then to have students write short summaries or give their opinions on the things they're learning is a really effective, efficient way to cement their learning. This video from the Teaching Channel shows just how simple this can be to implement.

6. Mini-Projects

For learning to be active, it doesn't have to be a super complicated, long-term project. Students can do mini-projects that take just a day or two. This poster project, where students have to rank leaders of early America, then back up their choices with evidence, is a perfect example of a project that could be done in a short period of time.

7. Anticipation Guides

Anticipation guides are simple forms where students state their opinions on key statements before a learning activity. This primes them for the learning that is about to come. Once the direct instruction is done, they revisit the guides to see if their opinions have changed. This would be a really simple way to boost engagement and give students a bigger stake in a lesson.

8. Quality Note-taking

Although students seem to be taking a lot of "notes" in class, it's not clear that this is being done in a way that results in high-quality learning. If your classroom practices are aligned with the research on note-taking, this activity can be a powerful processing tool.

9. Retrieval Practice

Asking students to recall information is a great way to help them learn it better, but I'm not exactly talking about the kind of recall they do on worksheets. Whether it's stuff that just needs to be memorized or concepts that require more complex processing, building periods of retrieval practice into your instruction will boost learning.

Bonus: Collaboration

Most of these activities would be enhanced by some kind of collaboration: Have students share their write-to-learn responses with a partner. Do sorting tasks with small groups. Any time they work together, they're engaging with the content in a different way, which introduces more novelty and more opportunities to process it differently.

This is not an exact science, and no teacher designs instruction perfectly all the time. But if you're not getting the results you want, try to do more of this: When planning your lessons, ask yourself if students are doing anything with the material, or if you're just setting things up so it's information in, information out. If it's the latter, start adding in ways to have students engage with the stuff they're learning. There are a lot of different ways to do it. Even though it adds a little bit more time, you're going to see such big benefits. Not only are your students going to learn better, you will all-both your students and you-like coming to school a whole lot more. ♦

Come back for more.
Join my mailing list and get weekly tips, tools, and inspiration that will make your teaching more effective and fun. You'll get access to our members-only library of free downloads, including 20 Ways to Cut Your Grading Time in Half, the e-booklet that has helped thousands of teachers save time on grading. Over 50,000 teachers have already joined-come on in.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Too often, we're expecting students to learn material without asking them to do much of anything with it. Why is this a problem? Where did it come from? And how can we fix it?

# data[].attributes.body
Each state sets standards for and approves schools that can train nursing students to be eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) in that state. However, approval by a state board of nursing does not mean that the school is accredited by a national accrediting organization. In general, though, every accredited nursing school is also approved by its state board of nursing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Board Approved Nursing Education Programs

# data[].attributes.body
Skills for successful work

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
April 18, 2015
Here is an interesting infographic from university of Phoenix featuring 10 essential skills for the successful worker.Going through the list we remarked that these skills are important not only for a successful work for successful learners as well. In fact, these skills represent the ethos of the 21st century epoch, an era where knowledge economy and the social capital are so interdependently connected that it becomes extremely hard to decipher the dividing line between the two.

The top 10 skills for the 21st century worker, according this visual, include:

Critical thinking

Leadership

Communication

Collaboration

Adaptability

Innovation

Global citizenship

Productivity and accountability

Enterpreneurialism

Accessing and synthesizing information

Check out the full visual from this page.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Essential Skills for The 21st Century Worker/ Learner

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
April 18, 2015 Here is an interesting infographic from university of Phoenix featuring 10 essential skills for the successful worker.Going through the list we remarked that these skills are important not only for a successful work for successful learners as well.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learning strategies (With images) | Learning theory, Learning styles, Learning and development

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This Pin was discovered by Janet Trejo. Discover (and save!) your own Pins on Pinterest.

# data[].attributes.headline
THEORY, METHOD AND PRACTICE OF NEUROSCIENTIFICFINDINGS IN SCIENCE EDUCATION

# data[].attributes.subject
THEORY, METHOD AND PRACTICE OF NEUROSCIENTIFICFINDINGS IN SCIENCE EDUCATION

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
THEORY, METHOD AND PRACTICE OF NEUROSCIENTIFIC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Neuroethics, Neuroeducation, and Classroom Teaching Where the Brain Sciences Meet Pedagogy

# data[].attributes.body
Online nursing educational tutorial

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
nurse "nursing school" lpn rn "nurse practitioner" "nursing school study tips" nclex "nursing skills" ati hesi

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
RegisteredNurseRN.com provides FREE NCLEX reviews, skills, school tips, & career help for students and nurses. Please SUBSCRIBE & share our videos with other...

# data[].attributes.headline
How the Human Brain is Involved in Learning

# data[].attributes.subject
How the Human Brain is Involved in Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Study Effectively for School or College [Top 6 Science-Based Study Skills]

# data[].attributes.body
How to think about learning

# data[].attributes.headline
vSim for Nursing Fundamentals Online, Virtual Simulation

# data[].attributes.subject
vSim for Nursing Fundamentals Online, Virtual Simulation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
vSim for Nursing Fundamentals Online, Virtual Simulation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Virtual Worlds in Nursing Education A Synthesis of the Literature

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Use of a Virtual Community to Contextualize Learning Activities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Perceived Benefits of a Virtual Community Effects of Learning Style, Race, Ethnicity, and Frequency of Use on Nursing Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Neighborhood a Web-based platform to support conceptual teaching and learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Shifting the Clinical Teaching Paradigm in Undergraduate Nursing Education to Address the Nursing Faculty Shortage

# data[].attributes.body
Animated Scenario: Teaching Example

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
One Minute Preceptor for the nursing instructor

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
One Minute Preceptor teaching strategy for nursing clinical instructors - created at http://goanimate.com/

# data[].attributes.body
Guide for educating nursing students

# data[].attributes.headline
National Academy of: Sciences, Engineering, Medicine

# data[].attributes.subject
National Academy of: Sciences, Engineering, Medicine

# data[].attributes.body
Specific to Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Use the ASU Online Objectives Builder tool below to write measurable course outcomes and learning objectives.

About Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives are statements that describe the specific knowledge, skills, or abilities students will be able to demonstrate in the real world as a result of completing a lesson. Learning objectives should not be assignment-specific, however, an assignment should allow students to demonstrate they have achieved the lesson objective(s). All of the learning objectives should support the course outcomes.

Examples of Learning Objectives

Describe individual, behavioral, and social factors positively influencing health in the Blue Zones.

Calculate the median of a set of values using Excel.

Create a needs analysis using Gilbert's Performance Matrix.

Revise a company operations manual to reduce energy consumption.

Diagram the main constructs of social cognitive theory.

Summarize the scope and source of food waste in the United States.

Objectives Builder Tool

Use the below objectives builder tool to begin designing objectives. If it's your first time click "Start Project". If this is a return visit, click "Resume" to pick up where you left off or "Restart" to start the tutorial over. Follow the on-screen instructions to build your learning objective(s)!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learning Objectives Builder - Teach Online

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use the ASU Online Objectives Builder tool below to write measurable course outcomes and learning objectives. About Learning Objectives Learning Objectives are statements that describe the specific knowledge, skills, or abilities students will be able to demonstrate in the real world as a result of completing a lesson.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Custom E-learning and Online Training Blogs - CommLab India

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If an organization wants to succeed in its training initiatives and achieve its learning goals, it is important that knowledge transfer takes place. The aspects of knowledge transfer include organizing, creating, and distributing knowledge and ensuring it is available for future users.

So, here are a few tips for creating effective PPTs that will improve knowledge transfer in your organization.

Hope you find it useful.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Create Effective PPTs for Effective Knowledge Transfer [Infographic]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If an organization wants to succeed in its training initiatives and achieve its learning goals, it is important that knowledge transfer takes place. The aspects of knowledge transfer include organizing, creating, and distributing knowledge and ensuring it is available for future users.

# data[].attributes.headline
Creating Learning Objectives for E-Learning

# data[].attributes.subject
Creating Learning Objectives for E-Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Custom E-learning and Online Training Blogs - CommLab India

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
' If you don't know where you want to go, then it doesn't matter, which way you go.' - Lewis Carroll

The same applies to developing a good e-learning course. If you don't know the learning outcome of your course, it is of no use. So, it is very essential to set clear and effective learning objectives that communicate the purpose and also tell what the learner will be able to do on successful completion of the course.

It also helps instructional designers get clarity on what to include in the course and which instructional strategy is to be used. Considering the importance of learning objectives, let's see how to create effective learning objectives in the infographic below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Ways to Create Effective Learning Objectives for E-learning Courses [Infographic]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
' If you don't know where you want to go, then it doesn't matter, which way you go.' - Lewis Carroll The same applies to developing a good e-learning course. If you don't know the learning outcome of your course, it is of no use.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Custom E-learning and Online Training Blogs - CommLab India

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A learning objective is a statement, in specific and measurable terms that describes what the learner will know, or be able to do after the completion of the course. Here are a few steps for creating effective learning objectives:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
3 Steps for Creating Effective Learning Objectives - INFOGRAPHIC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A learning objective is a statement, in specific and measurable terms that describes what the learner will know, or be able to do after the completion of the course. Here are a few steps for creating effective learning objectives:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
for writing measurable objectives and creating appropriate assessments.

# data[].attributes.headline
Explanation of the changing Bloom's Taxonomy

# data[].attributes.subject
Explanation of the changing Bloom's Taxonomy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.entities[].name
Teach Toddlers Colors Numbers Preschool Race Cars & Magnet Truck

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Most educators are familiar with Bloom's Taxonomy, a model that classifies different levels of human cognition in thinking, learning, and understanding. But in a digital age, educators are thinking about it as Bloom's Digital Taxonomy. This updated version aims to expand upon the skills associated with each level as technology becomes a more engrained - and essential - part of learning.

# data[].attributes.headline
BSPOTTED: A Strategy to Guide and Evaluate Nursing Students in the Clinical Setting

# data[].attributes.subject
BSPOTTED: A Strategy to Guide and Evaluate Nursing Students in the Clinical Setting

# data[].attributes.body
Format to assists with Clinical Education

# data[].attributes.headline
Implementing a Process to Measure Return on Investment for Nursing Professional Development

# data[].attributes.subject
Implementing a Process to Measure Return on Investment for Nursing Professional Development

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Custom E-learning and Online Training Blogs - CommLab India

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In my earlier blogs, Learning Objectives - What They Are and Why You Need Them and The Science of Learning Objectives - Part 1 and , we have seen what learning objectives are and why they are important. We have also seen the first four levels of the cognitive domain of Bloom's taxonomy, which provides the basis for describing the desired performance of the learner after completing the course, i.e. Remembering, Understanding, Applying and Analyzing levels. In this post, we will look at the next two levels viz. Evaluating and Creating.

Evaluating level

At this level, the learner must be able to make assessments about the information learned in the training program. Examples of learning objectives at this level are:

The learner would be able to justify the expenditure incurred on the project.

The learner would be able to evaluate the effectiveness of the two business processes.

The verbs used at this level of cognition include, but are not limited to the following.

Creating Level

The learner, at this level, must be able to put together diverse elements to create a "new whole". Examples of learning objectives at this level are:

The learner would be able to design a new procedure to repair the fuel injection system.

The learner would be able to develop a new solution to the problem of frequent power cuts.

The commonly-used verbs at this level are as follows.

Let us now look at the examples of learning objectives of the following six trainings at the Evaluating and Creating levels with examples.

1. Sales Process Training

2. Product Training

3. Service Technician Training

4. Software Training

5. Safety Training

6. Social Media Policy Training

Conclusion

At the Evaluating level of the cognitive domain, the learner would be able to evaluate the information acquired in the training program. And, at the Creating level, he would be able to synthesize this information effectively. In my next post, we will look at the domain of Bloom's taxonomy. So, stay tuned.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Blooms Taxonomy: The Science of Learning Objectives - Part 3

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In my earlier blogs, Learning Objectives - What They Are and Why You Need Them and The Science of Learning Objectives - Part 1 and , we have seen what learning objectives are and why they are important.

# data[].attributes.body
Bloom's Verbs (for objectives)

# data[].attributes.body
Infographic maker

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Canva is a free-to-use online graphic design tool. Use it to create social media posts, presentations, posters, videos, logos and more.

# data[].attributes.body
Zoom is a web conferencing tool for faculty teaching in hybrid and online classrooms and for those who use more advanced functionalities of web conferencing platforms. Additionally, Zoom will be used in administrative areas around campus.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Modernize workflows with Zoom's trusted collaboration tools: including video meetings, team chat, VoIP phone, webinars, whiteboard, contact center, and events.

# data[].attributes.body
Flipgrid is simple. Engage and empower every voice in your classroom or community by recording and sharing short, awesome videos … together!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We express ourselves in different ways. On Flip, you can use our simple and fun built-in camera to record your thoughts, add effects and share within your Flip group as video, audio only or text in your web browser or mobile app.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Flip is a video discussion and sharing app, free from Microsoft.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is a video discussion and video sharing app, free from Microsoft, built for classrooms and beyond. Learn more.

# data[].attributes.headline
Future of Technology for Nurse Educators

# data[].attributes.subject
Future of Technology for Nurse Educators

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Future of Technology in Nursing Education Part 1: The What and Why of Technology Use in Today's Nursing Student

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
'The What and Why of Technology Use in Today's Nursing Student' is a four-part series that focuses on the technology today's Nursing Students are using when learning and providing patient care. Part 1 focuses the future of technology as it relates to Nursing Education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Writing Your Teaching Philosophy | Center for Educational Innovation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Your teaching philosophy is a self-reflective statement of your beliefs about teaching and learning. It’s a one to two page narrative that conveys your core ideas about being an effective teacher in the context of your discipline. It develops these ideas with specific, concrete examples of what the…

# data[].attributes.body
puzzle creator

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Generador de Crucigramas
Créateur de mots croisé

1. Enter your crossword words and clues in the form below OR choose a premade word list (just below the instructions box) OR use the Quick Add Box to create your crossword clues and answers with Artificial Intelligence (AI).

2. Click the large green "Make Crossword Puzzle" button near the bottom of the form to make your free custom puzzle quickly.

3. You can now create online NEW!PLAYABLE and NEW!SHAREABLE crossword puzzles! Or make PDF's, Images, or just print them.

These Crosswords were created here!

Quick Start Tools

You enter any subject and we will generate all of your words and clues for you! TIPS Video

Generate Clues/Words with A.I.

Import a word/clue list into the form that is already made

Quick Add (Import Word List)

We have some pre-made lists that you can use:

Pre-Made Word Lists

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Crossword Puzzle Maker | Print, Play Online & Easily Share using our custom crossword maker

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Free crossword maker w/no registration needed! Free A.I. Generation. Play Online & Share! Add images, change colors and fonts to create professional looking printable crossword puzzles. Our A.I. crossword maker can create the entire puzzle with just a subject!

# data[].attributes.body
Presentation Software

# data[].attributes.headline
Teaching Critical Thinking Using Case Studies

# data[].attributes.subject
Teaching Critical Thinking Using Case Studies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Summary

This paper examines the use of case studies as teaching strategies to promote critical thinking. Critical thinking and case studies are defined as teaching method. The benefits and limitations of case studies are also discussed. The literature review investigates research studies that have indicated how case studies facilitate and promote active learning, help clinical problem solving, and encourage the development of critical thinking skills. Using case studies in teaching will assist nurse educators in promoting active learning; furthermore, it will help in developing critical thinking skills, which are extremely important for nurses and other health care professionals.

View full text

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Promotion of critical thinking by using case studies as teaching method

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This paper examines the use of case studies as teaching strategies to promote critical thinking. Critical thinking and case studies are defined as teaching method. The benefits and limitations of case studies are also discussed. The literature review investigates research studies that have indicated how case studies facilitate and promote active learning, help clinical problem solving, and encourage the development of critical thinking skills.

# data[].attributes.body
RN Mentor

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
RN students can now prepare for the NCLEX® on-the-go, anywhere, anytime with the ATI RN Mentor™. Based on the 2013 NCLEX-RN Test Plan, this quiz app now includes over 800+ unique questions developed by ATI Nurse Educators specifically for this app only. Questions are organized by NCLEX area, body function and clinical area. Choose the topics and number of questions to generate customized quizzes. You can ever share information and discuss specific questions with other students from within the app.

FEATURES:

* Over 800+ unique NCLEX questions which have not been used in any previous ATI exams and program materials
* Based on the 2013 NCLEX-RN Test Plan
* Written by our team of ATI Nurse Educators, each question features detailed rationales for both correct and incorrect answers
* Questions from NCLEX area, body function and clinical area categories
* Includes NCLEX question types - multiple choice, ordered response, select all that apply, image hot-spot and chart exhibit
* Create custom quizzes by selecting from subtopics, or let us generate a random quiz for you
* Customize the number of questions (1-100); the app will estimate how long the quiz will take
* Includes an option to share your quiz results
* Built-in calculator is available from any question in the app
* Engage in student-lead discussions on specific questions directly within the app
* Review previous quizzes you have taken at any time
* Review your quiz results, including a breakdown by each subtopic
* Browse the entire collection of questions within the app without having to take a quiz

CATEGORIES AND SUB-TOPICS

NCLEX Area:
* Basic Care and Comfort
* Health Promotion and Maintenance
* Management of Care
* Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies
* Psychosocial Integrity
* Reduction of Risk Potential
* Physiological Adaptation
* Safety and Infection Control

Body Function:
* Cardiac Output and Tissue Perfusion
* Cognition and Sensation
* Excretion
* Immunity
* Ingestion, Digestion, Absorption and Elimination
* Integument
* Mobility
* Oxygenation
* Regulation and Metabolism
* Reproduction

Clinical Area:
* Adult Medical-Surgical
* Fundamentals
* Leadership
* Maternal Newborn
* Mental Health
* Nursing Care of Children
* Nutrition
* Pharmacology

** Note: You don't need to be enrolled at a school that uses ATI products to prepare for the NCLEX with ATI RN Mentor. **

Have questions, problems, or feedback? Reach out to us at [email protected]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
RN students can now prepare for the NCLEX® on-the-go, anywhere, anytime with the ATI RN Mentor™. Based on the 2013 NCLEX-RN Test Plan, this quiz app now includes over 800+ unique questions developed by ATI Nurse Educators specifically for this app only. Questions are organized by NCLEX area, body function and clinical area.

# data[].attributes.body
IPASS Communication

# data[].attributes.body
Video on how to create a QR code.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Create a QR Code and Use It Effectively

# data[].attributes.body
Create QR code

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
QR codes from images, sounds and videos on your device.

# data[].attributes.body
QR code maker

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
QRCode Monkey - The free QR Code Generator to create custom QR Codes with Logo

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create custom QR Codes with Logo, Color and Design for free. This QR Code Maker offers free vector formats for best print quality.

# data[].attributes.body
Concept Mapping

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
PINGDOM_CANARY_STRING

See why millions of users across the globe choose Lucidchart.

Map out new concepts with ease

Get to work right away with Lucidchart's intuitive concept map software.

Learn to use Lucidchart in 3 minutes

Create your first concept map, whether you import it, start from a template, or begin with a blank canvas.

Add shapes and connecting lines to your concept map, and add text to describe what you're thinking.

Change the styling and formatting to make your concept map visually appealing.

Use Feature Find to locate any feature or tool within your diagram.

Share your concept map with your team to start collaborating.

Concept map templates

Start working on a concept map right away with one of our templates.

Lucidchart integrations

Connect Lucidchart to all your favorite industry-leading apps.

See why teams use Lucidchart

Diagram, visualize data, and collaborate all in one platform.

What is a concept map?

A concept map helps you visualize the relationship between concepts, ideas, events, or notes. These diagrams are commonly used to plan curriculum, create study guides, or outline writing projects. To use a concept map, put your ideas in circles (also called nodes). Unlike a mind map that starts in the center and works outwards, a concept map generally works top to bottom in a hierarchy. Connect your circles with lines or arrows (also called arcs) and label the lines to show how the ideas relate to each other.

How to make a concept map

1. Start with a topic

Begin with the core topic you want to explore. Drag a shape onto the canvas to contain it. The hierarchy of your concept map will start from here.

2. Identify key concepts

Make a list of all the key ideas that relate to your core topic. This list is called the parking lot. Order them from most general first to most specific last.

3. Connect topics and subtopics

Move your key concepts from the parking lot to the diagram, drawing connecting lines as you go. Label the lines with text to show how the ideas are related.

4. Customize and format

Personalize and organize your diagram by adding colors and images. As you learn more about your core topic, update your diagram.

5. Present and share your work

Use Lucidchart's easy sharing options to present your concept map. You can share the diagram directly within Lucidchart, print it, or download it as a PNG, JPEG, or PDF.

Frequently asked questions about concept maps

You can use standard flowchart shapes to build your concept map or repurpose our mind map shape library. Simply search for mind maps in the Shape Manager.

Mind maps are better for brainstorming ideas or information visually. Use a concept map when you're diagramming relationships between and among concepts. Concept maps make it faster to understand and recall those relationships. For students, concept maps can be an efficient way of note-taking as well, sometimes referred to as conceptual note-taking.

© 2023 Lucid Software Inc.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our free concept map maker helps you easily create concept maps online. Get started in minutes with our concept map templates. Sign up to use Lucidchart today!

# data[].attributes.body
Concept Mapping

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Benefits of Bubbl.us mind maps over text:

Superior clarity of structured information

Whether it's a family tree, a decision flow map, or an algorithm, mind maps have a huge advantage in presenting complexity clearly and concisely.

Better retention of complex ideas.

Visualizing complex ideas in shapes, lines, and pictures leads to much better recollection later than simple text.

Creative collaboration with others.

Visual brainstorming with a team can dramatically improve the quality of the final product because of diversity of perspectives and experiences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bubbl.us - Create Mind Maps | Collaborate and Present Ideas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mind map and brainstorm online with Bubbl.us! Create colorful mind maps to print or share with others. Millions of people are using Bubbl.us worldwide to generate ideas, map out processes and create presentations.

# data[].attributes.body
Concept Mapping

# data[].attributes.body
teaching prioritization

# data[].attributes.body
game-based learning platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Kahoot!'s new student passes are a one-way ticket to take students from players to creators! Empower your students to engage in active learning with the tools they need to create and host kahoots that demonstrate their learning to the whole class.

With student passes your class will have access to:

The full functionality of the Kahoot! creator to make fun and engaging kahoots for their peers

Award-winning learning apps from Poio and DragonBox to master everything from the basics of reading and numeracy to algebra, geometry, and even chess

Premium Kahoot! features including exclusive question types like brainstorm, type answer, and puzzles, plus creation tools to create advanced slide layouts with our premium image library

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Make your students the hosts of their own learning experiences

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A student-centered learning platform and content hub designed to help students to take an active role in their education through powerful play

# data[].attributes.body
Getting from point A to point B

# data[].attributes.body
Screen Recorder and Video Editor

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Our screen capture tools help you easily create, edit and communicate with videos and images. Simple and intuitive tools to share your ideas.

Windows, Mac / iOS, Android, and Chromebook | No account required

Easy video communication for everyone

190 countries

Million of users in ourglobal community

Trusted

by Fortune 100 companies, school districts,
and 98 of the top 100 universities in the US

100,000,000+

Videos captured (and counting) since 2006

How can ScreenPal help you?

I need to capture videos and images.

Highly rated by our community

Overall rating: 4.6 out of 5 based on 4,516 reviews.

What our community is saying

With ScreenPal I've been able to extend my expertise and automate some of my more routine tasks by creating high-quality video content and feedback, which then frees up my time for more personalized mentorship.

Cal Poly University Professor and founder and CEO of Mentorship Academy

ScreenPal's user-friendly interface and seamless integration into our existing teaching methods made it an obvious choice. From day one, it was clear that ScreenPal was not just another tech tool; it was a catalyst for active learning and collaboration.

Technology Integration and Innovation Coordinator, Arlington ISD

We use ScreenPal internally to create and manage all of the videos we share with educators. ScreenPal makes it easy to create videos with a consistent, branded look and feel, and then to share all of those videos from a central repository.

Chief Program Officer, The Modern Classrooms Project

Join millions of people communicating through video.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At ScreenPal, we don't believe that video recording and editing should be difficult, or cost a fortune. Our simple and intuitive tools help you get the job done easily.

# data[].attributes.body
Canva

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Graphic Design For Newbies (Canva Tutorial 2019 - Canva 2.0)

# data[].attributes.body
Presentation option

# data[].attributes.body
present your record in an interesting and impressive way

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Your CV - as its full name, "curriculum vitae," suggests - is the record of your academic life. But it's also a passport through that life, and one you'll have to show to gatekeepers over and over. If you want to get past those gates, your CV had better do its job.

I talk a lot in The Graduate Adviser column about the career prospects of Ph.D.s outside of academe, but this month I turn to the central document of academic life: the CV. Of course a strong CV is built on strong achievements. But you also have to present your record in an interesting and impressive way. And that's where many aspiring academics fall short.

What follows are eight tips to improve your CV.

But first, understand the difference between a CV and a résumé. There's plenty of overlap between the two - it's fair to describe a CV as an academic résumé. But the differences are salient. A résumé tends to be directly purpose-driven. It might start out with an explicit career objective ("a public-relations position that combines analysis and customer relations"), while a CV rarely features that kind of rhetoric.

CVs have specific purposes, too - they're more implicit, that's all. You have to design a CV for the audience it will reach - and you have to attend to the particular readings habits of that audience.

Résumés are typically more compact than CVs. Just about everyone who's written a résumé has encountered the injunction to keep it short. But if a CV is usually more comprehensive, that doesn't mean it should be swollen with watery excess. Keep in mind that every unnecessary item on your vita threatens, by its very presence, to distract your reader from the necessary stuff.

What makes a CV entry necessary? That depends on who's reading, and why.

Always remember: Your CV combines autobiography and salesmanship. It needs to persuade readers to hire you for the job, give you the grant, or award you the fellowship. You have to select the aspects of yourself that will sell you to your specific audience.

Other people read your CV because they have something you want. When you prepare the document for their eyes, keep your specific goal in mind and customize accordingly. If you're sending your CV as part of an application for a grant, you probably don't need to include your campus service work - because unnecessary extras distract the reader. If you're applying for a teaching job at a research university, you'll present your teaching record differently than if you're applying for an opening at a private high school.

In other words, a CV is not just a written record of your credentials. It's an argument in favor of you. Write with that in mind.

Generally speaking, put your educational credentials first. As you make that argument for yourself, follow the prevailing rules. Education is the business most CV-readers are in. Readers of résumés might not care much about where you went to school and what degrees you got, but CV readers almost always look for that information right away. Don't annoy them by burying it.

When you lay out your CV, follow the conventions of your discipline. A CV is not the place to challenge your reader's assumptions. If scientists expect your publications to be presented in chronological order and in a specific bibliographic format, then meet their expectations. If you don't, you'll distract your readers from their most important task, which is to assess your credentials.

Draft your vita knowing it will be skimmed. I keep returning to distraction because it ought to be your greatest concern. Consider that most people going through a stack of applications will spend only a couple of minutes reading each CV - if that. You have to make the most of that brief time.

Worse, most readers don't read a CV carefully. They skim it. You can't change that fact, so accommodate to it instead: Write to be skimmed. Which brings me to my next two points.

Most important, write visually. That's an umbrella term. It means you should attend to the visual balance between text and white space on your CV, use formatting thoughtfully to create emphasis, and, above all, consider the movement of a skimming reader's fast-moving eye.

You may wonder how you can tell where readers are going to look. It takes some practice. You can get it by reading other people's CVs (which are abundant online), and watching where your own eyes travel. Where do you home in? What do you skip? Do your eyes move sequentially from section marker to section marker, or do they jump around?

A good CV uses formatting to catch and direct the reader's attention. Boldface, for example, will attract the reader - as it does you when you read this essay. Underlining does the same.

On the other hand, big bricks of text - i.e., chunky paragraphs - will repel readers. When the skimming reader's eye encounters a long paragraph, it usually just bounces off it and drops downward to the next resting point. Resting points are important because even skimming readers need a place to stop. Indentation and other formatting choices provide visual variety and contrasts, and they also provide section markers to give readers a momentary rest before you redirect them.

Use boldface, underlining, and other attention-getting hooks judiciously. Overuse renders them ineffective, or worse. If a CV assaults the eye with a blizzard of words and a farrago of underlining, bolding, italics, text boxes, and so on, you'll turn off many readers and get less of their precious time.

Front-load your most important entries. This, too, is about keeping in mind your readers' limited amount of time for looking at CVs. If your most impressive credential is the prize you won for your dissertation, then figure out a way to put it before your reader as soon as you can - and flag it so it won't be missed.

You have to do that because reading lengthy CVs gets tiring very fast. Make sure your readers see what you want them to see before they run out of attention, shift into "it's time to finish" mode, and start hitting "page down."

Avoid inside baseball. That's a journalistic term for insider talk. You'll conserve your reader's patience if you present the important stuff intelligibly. Unless you're applying for an opening in a department you're already teaching in, your reference to "Sociology 342" will be lost. Worse, it will be interpreted as a sign that you don't really understand who your audience is - and your readers will take note of that failure.

Use your CV to guide the interview you hope to land. Your CV should include only those things that you want to talk about in the job interview. Remember that an interview is a conversation about you - and your application provides the ingredients for that discussion. Imagine how you'd like the conversation to go, and organize your CV to make that outcome more, not less, likely.

The inverse also holds true: If you don't want to talk about a particular controversy in your field (say, a high-profile sexual-harassment case in your discipline), then avoid names and references on your CV that might lead a reader to ask you about it.

Of course your application comprises more than your CV. If you're applying for a job, your cover letter is at least as important. That'll be the subject of my next column.

Leonard Cassuto, a professor of English at Fordham University, writes regularly about graduate education in this space. His latest book is The Graduate School Mess: What Caused It and How We Can Fix It, published by Harvard University Press. He welcomes comments, suggestions, and stories at lcassuto@erols.com. His Twitter handle is @LCassuto.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Your CV - as its full name, "curriculum vitae," suggests - is the record of your academic life. But it's also a passport through that life, and one you'll have to show to gatekeepers over and over. If you want to get past those gates, your CV had better do its job.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Presentation Zen Fixed My Bad PowerPoints

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Vocaroo is a quick and easy way to share voice messages over the interwebs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Infographic Maker Trusted By 11 Million Users - Piktochart

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
With Piktochart AI, you can create stunning infographics, reports, presentations, and more in seconds. No design experience needed. Start for free.

# data[].attributes.headline
Using Unfolding Case Studies to Develop Clinical Forethought in Novice Nursing Students

# data[].attributes.subject
Using Unfolding Case Studies to Develop Clinical Forethought in Novice Nursing Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This video will get you on your way to creating awesome charts, reports, maps and infographics!

If you are interested to know how Infogram helps teams to work faster and communicate data in a better way, schedule a demo with one of our experts or join one of our webinars.
Join webinar

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Video tutorial: Get started with Infogram

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This video will get you on your way to creating awesome charts, reports, maps and infographics! If you are interested to know how Infogram helps teams to work faster and communicate data in a better way, schedule a demo with one of our experts or join one of our webinars.

# data[].attributes.body
Learning Game

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For Remote or In-Person Classrooms

Factile is a free learning platform that lets teachers create engaging jeopardy-style quiz games for the remote or in-person classroom

Assess students' understanding of new topics or review the latest concepts using our simple, user-friendly gameboard template. Create and share your games with students, or search our database of already-created games. Use Factile with Google Classroom to easily assign games and flashcards to your class.
Play Demo Game

Four Team Review Games
Play in classroom or remote with Buzzer Mode

Two Individual Study Games
Self-paced learning in classroom or remote

Buzzer Mode

Buzzer Mode

Turn phones, tablets or computers into buzzer buttons for an engaging multi-player gameshow experience

"Factile is fun and exciting. Students enjoy the competition, the team-building, the camaradarie, the positive reinforcement, or all of the above. The standard, free version is very workable and click-driven, although I am sure the premium version contains greater functionality that may appeal to some folks. Your students will enjoy it as much as you enjoy watching them learn"

Bruce DuBoff AASL Best Websites for Teaching and Learning Committee Member

See more reviews

Are you looking to make your Factile game even more engaging? Let students BUZZ IN via their laptops, phones or tablets! Remote or In-Classroom.

Send a link to your participants and they can play at any time on their own

Create custom games

Share games

Play the many public games

Multi-language support
(English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic)

...and much more

Buzzer Mode for Remote or in-classroom

Flashcards, Choice and Memory Games

Add Images, Videos and Equations

Print Answer Keys and Quizzes

Unlimited Games and 100 Teams

Double Jeopardy and Daily Double

Interactive Choice

Quiz-Bowl

...and much more

Home/School features

Add up to 3 Images in Question/Answer

Multi-Member Teams up to 3 Players Per Team

Question Bank Up to 3

...and much more

Home/School Plus Features

Private games

Customize with your Logo

Remote View Gameboard Screen Sharing

Question Bank Up to 10

Multimember Teams for Buzzer Mode

Verification of Training Completion

...and much more

* All amounts are in USD.

What are you waiting for?

Sign up now to create your free game!

Get Started

For Remote or In-Person Classrooms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Classroom Jeopardy Review Game | Buzzer Mode | Factile

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create your own Jeopardy template online without PowerPoint, or browse the pre-made templates to play Jeopardy-style classroom games or quizzes in minutes.

# data[].attributes.body
Interactive Class Idea

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Formative assessment has never been faster.

Plickers is the free card activity your students will love.

Join millions and play in your next lesson.
Sign up for free
Used by K-12 teachers in over 100 countries

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Formative assessment has never been faster. Plickers is the free card activity your students will love. Join millions and play in your next lesson. Sign up for free Used by K-12 teachers in over 100 countries

# data[].attributes.body
Berkeley University

# data[].attributes.body
Presentation option

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How To: Quick Tutorial for New Google Slides Presentation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Cite this guide: Brame, C. (2013) Writing good multiple choice test questions. Retrieved [todaysdate] from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/writing-good-multiple-choice-test-questions/.

Multiple choice test questions, also known as items, can be an effective and efficient way to assess learning outcomes. Multiple choice test items have several potential advantages:

Versatility: Multiple choice test items can be written to assess various levels of learning outcomes, from basic recall to application, analysis, and evaluation. Because students are choosing from a set of potential answers, however, there are obvious limits on what can be tested with multiple choice items. For example, they are not an effective way to test students' ability to organize thoughts or articulate explanations or creative ideas.

Reliability: Reliability is defined as the degree to which a test consistently measures a learning outcome. Multiple choice test items are less susceptible to guessing than true/false questions, making them a more reliable means of assessment. The reliability is enhanced when the number of MC items focused on a single learning objective is increased. In addition, the objective scoring associated with multiple choice test items frees them from problems with scorer inconsistency that can plague scoring of essay questions.

Validity: Validity is the degree to which a test measures the learning outcomes it purports to measure. Because students can typically answer a multiple choice item much more quickly than an essay question, tests based on multiple choice items can typically focus on a relatively broad representation of course material, thus increasing the validity of the assessment.

The key to taking advantage of these strengths, however, is construction of good multiple choice items.

A multiple choice item consists of a problem, known as the stem, and a list of suggested solutions, known as alternatives. The alternatives consist of one correct or best alternative, which is the answer, and incorrect or inferior alternatives, known as distractors.

Constructing an Effective Stem

1. The stem should be meaningful by itself and should present a definite problem. A stem that presents a definite problem allows a focus on the learning outcome. A stem that does not present a clear problem, however, may test students' ability to draw inferences from vague descriptions rather serving as a more direct test of students' achievement of the learning outcome.

2. The stem should not contain irrelevant material, which can decrease the reliability and the validity of the test scores (Haldyna and Downing 1989).

3. The stem should be negatively stated only when significant learning outcomes require it. Students often have difficulty understanding items with negative phrasing (Rodriguez 1997). If a significant learning outcome requires negative phrasing, such as identification of dangerous laboratory or clinical practices, the negative element should be emphasized with italics or capitalization.

4. The stem should be a question or a partial sentence. A question stem is preferable because it allows the student to focus on answering the question rather than holding the partial sentence in working memory and sequentially completing it with each alternative (Statman 1988). The cognitive load is increased when the stem is constructed with an initial or interior blank, so this construction should be avoided.

Constructing Effective Alternatives

1. All alternatives should be plausible. The function of the incorrect alternatives is to serve as distractors,which should be selected by students who did not achieve the learning outcome but ignored by students who did achieve the learning outcome. Alternatives that are implausible don't serve as functional distractors and thus should not be used. Common student errors provide the best source of distractors.

2. Alternatives should be stated clearly and concisely. Items that are excessively wordy assess students' reading ability rather than their attainment of the learning objective

3. Alternatives should be mutually exclusive. Alternatives with overlapping content may be considered "trick" items by test-takers, excessive use of which can erode trust and respect for the testing process.

4. Alternatives should be homogenous in content. Alternatives that are heterogeneous in content can provide cues to student about the correct answer.

5. Alternatives should be free from clues about which response is correct. Sophisticated test-takers are alert to inadvertent clues to the correct answer, such differences in grammar, length, formatting, and language choice in the alternatives. It's therefore important that alternatives

have grammar consistent with the stem.

are parallel in form.

are similar in length.

use similar language (e.g., all unlike textbook language or all like textbook language).

6. The alternatives "all of the above" and "none of the above" should not be used. When "all of the above" is used as an answer, test-takers who can identify more than one alternative as correct can select the correct answer even if unsure about other alternative(s). When "none of the above" is used as an alternative, test-takers who can eliminate a single option can thereby eliminate a second option. In either case, students can use partial knowledge to arrive at a correct answer.

7. The alternatives should be presented in a logical order (e.g., alphabetical or numerical) to avoid a bias toward certain positions.

8. The number of alternatives can vary among items as long as all alternatives are plausible. Plausible alternatives serve as functional distractors, which are those chosen by students that have not achieved the objective but ignored by students that have achieved the objective. There is little difference in difficulty, discrimination, and test score reliability among items containing two, three, and four distractors.

Additional Guidelines

1. Avoid complex multiple choice items , in which some or all of the alternatives consist of different combinations of options. As with "all of the above" answers, a sophisticated test-taker can use partial knowledge to achieve a correct answer.

2. Keep the specific content of items independent of one another. Savvy test-takers can use information in one question to answer another question, reducing the validity of the test.

Considerations for Writing Multiple Choice Items that Test Higher-order Thinking

When writing multiple choice items to test higher-order thinking, design questions that focus on higher levels of cognition as defined by Bloom's taxonomy. A stem that presents a problem that requires application of course principles, analysis of a problem, or evaluation of alternatives is focused on higher-order thinking and thus tests students' ability to do such thinking. In constructing multiple choice items to test higher order thinking, it can also be helpful to design problems that require multilogical thinking, where multilogical thinking is defined as "thinking that requires knowledge of more than one fact to logically and systematically apply concepts to a ...problem" (Morrison and Free, 2001, page 20). Finally, designing alternatives that require a high level of discrimination can also contribute to multiple choice items that test higher-order thinking.

Additional Resources

Burton, Steven J., Sudweeks, Richard R., Merrill, Paul F., and Wood, Bud. How to Prepare Better Multiple Choice Test Items: Guidelines for University Faculty, 1991.

Cheung, Derek and Bucat, Robert. How can we construct good multiple-choice items? Presented at the Science and Technology Education Conference, Hong Kong, June 20-21, 2002.

Haladyna, Thomas M. Developing and validating multiple-choice test items, 2nd edition. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1999.

Haladyna, Thomas M. and Downing, S. M.. Validity of a taxonomy of multiple-choice item-writing rules. Applied Measurement in Education, 2(1), 51-78, 1989.

Morrison, Susan and Free, Kathleen. Writing multiple-choice test items that promote and measure critical thinking. Journal of Nursing Education 40: 17-24, 2001.

This teaching guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Writing Good Multiple Choice Test Questions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Cynthia J. Brame Print Version Cite this guide: Brame, C. (2013) Writing good multiple choice test questions. Retrieved [todaysdate] from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/writing-good-multiple-choice-test-questions/. Constructing an Effective Stem Constructing Effective Alternatives Additional Guidelines for Multiple Choice Questions Considerations for Writing Multiple Choice Items that Test Higher-order Thinking Additional Resources Multiple choice test questions, also known as items,...

# data[].attributes.body
An online tutorial for faculty

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Creating a Rubric

Rubrics are a tool to help you evaluate student performance. Knowing how to create and use rubrics gives you a better understanding of assessment and another option for assessing student performance. Rubrics are a great way to improve communication, learning, and grading fairness. In this course we will cover:

what rubrics are and how they can benefit you and your students

assessment concepts that relate to rubrics

how to create a rubric

how to judge the quality of the rubrics you create

The tutorial also provides several examples of rubrics and a list of resources where you can learn more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Rubrics are a tool to help you evaluate student performance. Knowing how to create and use rubrics gives you a better understanding of assessment and another option for assessing student performance. Rubrics are a great way to improve communication, learning, and grading fairness. Course authored and designed by Lisa O'Reilly, Instructional Designer."

# data[].attributes.headline
Ways to Engage Students and Stimulate Learning

# data[].attributes.subject
Ways to Engage Students and Stimulate Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Fundamentals of Nursing Co-Author Barbara L. Yoost, MSN, RN, CNS, CNE, ANEF shares ten ideas for infusing active learning into your classroom lessons.

1. Patient Teaching Pamphlets
Create a sample patient that has an illness or injury related to what you're currently covering in class. Then ask each student to develop an educational pamphlet, flyer, or mini brochure for that patient. Make sure students cover all the necessary information in their pamphlet such as: risk factors, signs and symptoms, when to call the primary care provider, treatments, prevention strategies, and online and community resources for further information. Encourage students to be creative with the design and writing of the piece to make the information engaging and understandable for the patient.

2. Ace® Wrap Relays
Divide the class into teams (2-4 teams depending on size of classroom and number of available patient mannequins or body parts). In the relay, each member of a team takes a turn at wrapping and unwrapping a specific body part of a "patient". The actual ace bandage serves as the baton as it is handed from one team member to the next. The team that finishes all of their wrappings effectively in the fastest amount of time wins. You may decide to have each student complete their bandage wrapping on the same body part for the same problem (e.g. every student performs a wrap on an amputation below the knee), or you can vary the body parts, problems, and wrap style depending on the relay round (e.g. student 1 from each team does a figure 8 wrap on a right leg with edema, student 2 does a spiral wrap on a sprained left ankle, and so on). For an extra challenge, have each student assess the wrapped extremity for circulation, sensation, and movement. You can even have students document their care electronically before moving on.

3. NCLEX Exam Authors
Break students into pairs and have them write ten different NCLEX exam-style questions on a specific nursing concept or class topic. Make sure students include a variety of wrong responses along with the correct answer. Then have students present their questions and response options. After classmates vote on which answer is correct, have the presenting pair reveal the correct answer and explain their rationales for both the right and wrong responses.

4. O2 Bingo
Introduce your class to O2 Bingo by creating bingo boards with oxygenation terms (think oximetry, CPAP, hypoxia, etc.). Then ask students questions and have them mark the answer on their boards. The bingo game can also be developed to cover a variety of different nursing concepts and related exemplars. For a creative end-of-the-year review idea, have each of your students develop their own bingo cards and questions surrounding a specific nursing concept. Then have the entire class play a round of bingo to review the concept.

5. Medication Commercials
Divide students into groups of two or three and have them write and perform medication commercials. You can have the entire class cover the same medication or have each group cover something different. After each group performs their commercial, have the class compare and discuss what they experience in the clinical area versus what they read about in research.

6. Unfolding Case Studies
Bring the subject to the center of your classroom by incorporating unfolding case studies into your lesson. Start off by providing basic assessment data on a patient. As class progresses, continue to reveal more information about that patient and their disease/disorder. Make sure students have their smartphones, tablets or laptops on hand to reference medication, diagnostic testing, and care planning point-of-care software.

7. Reading Reflections
Assign a particular section of the text to read for homework. Then at the beginning of the next class, have students write down: 1.) three things they learned from the reading, 2.) one way that learning might affect them in clinical practice, and 3.) one question they hope to have answered today in class. Have students hand in their written reflections, and then discuss the various takeaways as a class. Ask students to help answer their classmates' questions from the reading. This short exercise is a great way to ensure students complete the assigned reading ahead of time.

8. The Sensory Deprivation Experience
When covering nursing concepts such as functional ability or sensory perception, have students take turns experiencing the blind or deaf patient's point of view during simulation or a classroom activity by having the student wear a blindfold or earplugs respectively. Afterwards, have students discuss what they felt and learned from their sensory deprivation.

9. Name That Personal Care Item
Use this identification game to familiarize fundamentals students with the patient care items they will frequently encounter on the job. Start by collecting a variety of personal care items, such as a fracture pan, regular bed pan, catheter, etc., and set them on a table. Give each item a number and hold them up one item at a time. Then have students write down what they think the item is. This game can be used in place of a quiz where students individually write down the answers on a piece of paper to hand in. Or for an interactive review, divide the class into four teams and carry out the activity as if it were a round in a game show (first team to ring the bell gets to guess, and so on).

10. Clinical to Classroom
Each week, assign one student to write a case study based anonymously on a former clinical patient whose diagnoses relate to concepts being covered in readings and class. Have the student present his/her case study. Then allow classmates time to discuss their possible answers to the questions provided in the case study. Finally, have the author lead a discussion about the clinical patient case study and provide the "correct answers" that the authoring student prepared from required class readings, preparatory research, and his/her actual clinical experience with the patient. These can be submitted to you prior to class for review and you can then post it on the course website for all students to download prior to class.

For more resources on active learning and flipping your classroom click here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Active Learning Exercises to Engage Students | Elsevier Evolve

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Fundamentals of Nursing Co-Author Barbara L. Yoost, MSN, RN, CNS, CNE, ANEF shares ten ideas for infusing active learning into your classroom lessons. Patient Teaching Pamphlets Create a sample patient that has an illness or injury related to what you're currently covering in class.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Create, Design, and Share

Upload your PDF or start with templates to create flipbooks such as magazines, brochures, catalogs, etc. Add links, videos, and more to engage your audience. Grab the link and share it across all channels.

Create, customize, and publish your flipbooks with a powerful flipbook maker.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Top FlipBook Maker & Digital Publishing Platform - FlipHTML5

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
FlipHTML5 converts your PDF, PPT, Word & images to flipbook online, perfect for creating digital publications such as magazines, brochures, and catalogs. Create an interactive flip book online today!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Share Ideas Instantly with TechSmith Capture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
TechSmith Capture (formerly Jing) is a simple, free way to capture basic screenshots and screen recordings and share them with others.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Animaker, Make Animated Videos on Cloud for free

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Animaker is an online do-it-yourself (#DIY) animation video maker that brings studio quality presentations within everyone’s reach. Animated Videos, Done Right!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Easily create beautiful interactive video lessons for your students you can integrate right into your LMS. Track students' progress with hassle-free analytics as you flip your classroom!

# data[].attributes.headline
Six Things That Make College Teachers Successful

# data[].attributes.subject
Six Things That Make College Teachers Successful

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
1. Study the knowledge base of teaching and learning.

You have chosen to teach in higher education because you are a subject-matter specialist with a tremendous knowledge of your discipline. As you enter or continue your career, there is another field of knowledge you need to know: teaching and learning. What we know about teaching and learning continues to grow dramatically. It includes developing effective instructional strategies, reaching today's students, and teaching with technology. Where is this knowledge base? Books, articles in pedagogical periodicals, newsletters, conferences, and online resources provide ample help. Take advantage of your institution's center for teaching and learning or other professional development resources.

2. Accept all who enter the classroom door.

Much has been written about underprepared students who enter college. Since more students attend college now than ever before, it is only rational that some are not as prepared as we might expect. Institutions are dealing with this issue, but instructors must do some rethinking about how they teach, in order to meet the needs of all learners in their classrooms. Ungraded pretests and interest inventories can be used to see what your students already know about the content you will be teaching next. Students in all classes need help learning how to learn the material. You may not have imagined that you would be teaching how to learn vocabulary in your college courses, but that may be just what your students need. Above all, students should not be berated if they don't know things that weren't taught in high school. Accept students where they are and help them to go forward. They need a college education!

3. Plan for instructional management.

For decades, college instructors never thought of classroom management as something they had to plan, but times have changed and today's college students need to know what's happening. Posting a visual outline of what will be done during the class helps students follow the lesson and stay on task. Various aspects of teaching, such as distributing papers, taking attendance, and making time for students to ask questions, need to be part of course planning. Put policies in the syllabus about attendance, disturbances, cell phones, etc., and then review those policies with students. You set the tone of the class, and management procedures are needed.

4. Teach with a variety of strategies.

Study the literature and learn about approaches such as learner-centered teaching, guided inquiry, active learning, lecture, group work, and online discussion. Use what works best given your content and your students' learning needs. The best advice is to be visual, followed by keeping students actively thinking, writing, comparing, and applying new knowledge. Students learn more easily when they've been given the rationale for what they are learning, and when they understand why the teacher has chosen certain instructional methods and learning activities.

5. Use assessment to inform students of their achievement.

Today's students are used to checking their grades online so they know where they stand at any given time in the semester. Grading policies need to be clear and grading scales easy to use. Share your grading policy in writing on the syllabus and then show exactly how it works after the first big exam, paper, or assignment. Remind students that assessment is more than the assigning of a grade. Assessment helps them to understand their achievement and helps teachers meet their needs.

6. Keep the passion.

It is very easy to become disheartened by student complaints, lack of administrative support, budget cuts, and job insecurity. However, what is it that drew you to your discipline originally? For most of us, it was a true passion for the subject, a desire to learn all about it, and a further desire to then share that knowledge. In higher education, we have opportunities to learn, research, teach, and shape the future of our disciplines and influence the larger world through our disciplines. Successful college teachers recognize that many of today's college students have learning needs. Taking actions like these helps them to meet those challenges successfully.

Reprinted from The Teaching Professor, 27.7 (2013): 5. © Magna Publications. All rights reserved.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Six Things That Make College Teachers Successful

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
1. Study the knowledge base of teaching and learning. You have chosen to teach in higher education because you are a subject-matter specialist with a tremendous knowledge of your discipline. As you enter or continue your career, there is another field of knowledge you need to know: teaching and learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
3-day certification course in ECG rhythm and 12 lead ECG interpretation

# data[].attributes.body
Educational Online Games

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Here are 156 free nursing games with some 6,000 questions designed to make your nurse learning / education more interesting, engaging and fun! In this section we have developed, and are experimenting with, different kinds of educational nursing games. Online games are very popular, so why not apply them to your nursing education?

The Super Nurse and Word Guess games have been developed in HTML5. Therefore, the latest browser versions of Internet Explorer (IE10/11), Firefox, Chrome or Safari need to be used. These games can also be played on most mobile devices.

We have enhanced the games software to produce a Report that you can print out and keep for your records, or to hand in for assignments. For statistical and research purposes, the game results are now being tracked and recorded.

Click on a Title below to open up a specific nursing educational game in a new window. If you find the audio annoying or distracting, click the Mute button on your computer. Enjoy!

1. Nursing Games - Super Nurse Series

1.27 Drug Dosage Calculations I - This game tests your knowledge of the metric system and how to accurately make conversions between the various units. ( 15 items selected from 50 questions).

1.28 Drug Dosage Calculations II - Test and refresh you knowledge and skills about how to calculate the correct tablet medication dosages. ( 15 items selected from 50 questions).

1.29 Drug Dosage Calculations III- This game is designed to assess and review your knowledge and skills in calculating the correct fluid medication dosages. ( 15 items selected from 50 questions).

1.30 Drug Dosage Calculations IV - Test and refresh your knowledge and skills in calculating the correct dosages for medication administration by injection. ( 15 items selected from 50 questions).

1.31 Drug Dosage Calculations V - This game assesses your knowledge and skills in calculating the correct intravenous (IV) dosages, flow rates and administration times. ( 15 items selected from 50 questions).

2. Nursing Games - Word Guess Series

2.45 Pediatric Disorders I - Test your knowledge of the names of disorders related to child development, vision, hearing, blood, respiratory system and nervous system in pediatric patients. (1 5 items drawn from a pool of 45 questions).

These Drag and Drop games were developed using Articulate's StoryLine 3 software. For best viewing of these SL3 games on Apple's iPhone and iPad, download and install the FREE Articulate from the iTunes Store. If you are using an Android tablet or phone, download and install the FREE Articulate Android Player App from Google Play.

3.2 Blood Tests I - See how well you know the indications / applications of 60 blood tests used to diagnose and monitor various body disorders and diseases. ( 15 questions selected from 60).

3.3 Blood Tests II - Test and refresh your knowledge of the indications / applications of another 60 blood tests used to diagnose and monitor various body disorders and diseases. ( 15 questions selected from 60).

3.4 Cancer Symptoms - Try this funky nursing game to see how well you know the signs and symptoms of 12 different types of common cancers. ( 24 questions).

3.5 Diagnostic Tests I - Try this game to see how well you know the indications / applications of 45 electrodiagnostic, endoscopic and nuclear diagnostic technologies, tools and procedures used to identify, monitor and evaluate body disorders and diseases. ( 15 questions from 45).

3.6 Diagnostic Tests II - Another game to see how well you know the indications / applications of 45 manometric, ultrasound and x-ray diagnostic technologies, tools and procedures used to identify, monitor and evaluate body disorders and diseases. ( 15 questions from 45).

3.10 Infectious Diseases - See how well you know the causes (bacteria, virus, fungi, parasites or protozoa) of these infectious diseases. ( 48 questions).

3.18 Oral Dosages - Another game about calculating the correct dosages for medications administered orally using solutions, suspensions, mixtures and syrups. ( 15 questions randomly selected from 35 items).

3.21 Pressure Ulcer Terms II - Another game to review the terminology used in the assessment, prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers / bedsores. ( 20 questions chosen from 70 items).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Here are 156 free nursing games with some 6,000 questions designed to make your nurse learning / education more interesting, engaging and fun! In this section we have developed, and are experimenting with, different kinds of educational nursing games. Online games are very popular, so why not apply them to your nursing education?

# data[].attributes.body
Assists with writing APA format

# data[].attributes.body
Educational Online Games

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
About the educational games

The educational games are based on Nobel Prize awarded achievements and were produced between 2001 and 2012. Most games have not been updated since production (including potential scientific facts changes) and are provided here on an 'as is' basis by popular demand.

Some of the games run in modern browsers without the need of any plugin (either as a new version or using Ruffle), but many of the games still require Adobe Flash Player. Flash is an old technology that has reached end of life. These games will no longer work without a dedicated setup. If you are depending on these games in your profession, please advice your local IT support. We do not have the resources to provide support.

We are working on supporting more games without Flash.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
About the educational games The educational games are based on Nobel Prize awarded achievements and were produced between 2001 and 2012. Most games have not been updated since production (including potential scientific facts changes) and are provided here on an 'as is' basis by popular demand.