by – Joyce Tolofari MSN, RN

Structures such as bridges, roads and skyscrapers are ubiquitous. Construction workers, like anyone are required to be physically fit to enable them operate heavy duty equipment like cranes, tractors. They break structures down with heavy equipment, dig holes, engage hammers to create holes, ditches or stabilize a structure. Most of the time, large scale-projects are broken down into small scale structures. Building Construction is a hands-on career where workers use most of their hands, mental stamina, and wits to construct a building that will withstand winds, rains, sun, storms and many other weather conditions for days, months and years to come. The construction worker creates huge structures like skyscrapers, from a mere sand. Workers also need to have good communication skills in collaboration with colleagues to balance structures together to coordinate building safely.

Student’s learning can be related to a construction worker’s job. One of the theories in education is Constructivism, this style of education can be combined with the traditional style of teaching. Propounded by theorists, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygosky, John Dewey and some others, this theories proposes that educators use research-validated activities to inspire student engagement and subsequent learning. Requiring students to construct their knowledge out of their previous experiences. Construction of knowledge, can be achieved by the use of activities that will require occasional hands-on, mental stamina and wits in constructing meaning based on their past life experiences. This theory can be utilized in synchronous learning environments as the classroom, as well as in asynchronous learning situations as in the online learning courses.

On April 2018, I attended several sessions at the Lilly conference, where they presented activities and ideas on how to utilize this theory in engagement of students. Here are some of the constructivist theory principles of student engagement applied in enhancement to my student’s learning:

1. The focus in learning is on the student’s creativity and a construct of activities presented by the educator. The educator merely facilitates from the side as opposed to teaching the content from the lectern. The learner is an active participant while the educator is passive. This means that whatever the student creates can be accepted as valid to understanding the content presented. I apply this tip in asking my student to prepare a team concept map. After instructions from the module objectives, I divided the students into groups, assign topics to them to complete in 10 minutes. Each group prepared a concept map, present to the group and class members cast a vote for the winning team at www.menti.com. The winning team is rewarded with a prize.
2. Students learn to learn as they learn. This means that when a student is learning by creating meaning from their past experiences, the student is not only learning about that content, they are also learning about all experiences involved in the knowledge of that content. For example, when one of my group of students created a concept map about peptic ulcer disease, they learn the pathophysiology, risk factors, signs and symptoms and everything that lead to acquiring this disease including treatment and surgical procedures involved.
3. Constructivists’ theory requires mental stamina and involvement. Since the team concept map is 10 minutes only, students needed to rely on their collective memories to be able to complete the assignment and to ensure it is completed correctly by the allotted time.
4. According to John Dewey a social constructivist, learning is a social activity, learning is linked with being socially in contact with teachers, peers and with each other. During the Lilly conference 2018, P. Watkins’ presentation on Managing Student Behavior in the classroom reformed my style of teaching in the classroom. He recommended using a wireless presenter remote control power point clicker. This tool helps me to interact more with my students. I walk around the classroom, look and smile at students, face to face, as I teach and ask them questions while being close to them. There is a sort of physical closeness in such interaction that depicts a one on one relationship.
5. One needs knowledge to learn, the more we know the more we can learn. Learners build meaning out of knowledge previously accumulated. My students before now have had pre-requisite classes of the anatomy and physiology of the gastrointestinal (GI) system prior to admission to school of nursing. It is relatively easy to understand diseases affecting that system since they have had this prior knowledge and challenge them with activities mental or physical to construct meaning from the GI system.
6. Motivation is a key element to learning, student need to know the “why” that they need to know a particular content. The population of students I teach know the importance in acquiring nursing skills and potentially practice competently, so as to provide safe care to their future patients. During class, I write my phone number to motivate students who wouldn’t ordinarily ask questions to do so anonymously, another tip I gleaned from the Lilly Conference 2018.

I have used several of the tips that I learned at the Lilly conference and share them with colleagues. My students have also expressed positive remarks to my class activities. I expect other faculty will be enriched by my experience.

References

• Chudley, R., & Greeno, R. (2006). Building construction handbook. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
• Barkley, E. F. (2010). Student engagement techniques: a handbook for college faculty. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Harrington, C., & Zakrajsek, T. (2017). Dynamic lecturing: research-based strategies to enhance lecture effectiveness. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.