Teaching Methods | Geriatric Assessment for Nursing

Brainstorming is an instructional strategy where students generate a wide range of ideas in a non-judgmental environment. It encourages free thinking, creativity, and active participation. The facilitator guides the flow but avoids evaluating ideas during the initial phase. Brainstorming helps activate prior knowledge, stimulate critical thinking, and create an open learning climate. It is particularly effective at the beginning of a topic to explore students’ baseline understanding or misconceptions. This method empowers students to contribute actively and promotes collaborative idea generation.
How it supports learning outcomes:

2. Small Group Discussions

Small group discussions involve 5–10 students working together to explore a topic, debate issues, or solve problems. The instructor acts as a facilitator while students take responsibility for contributing ideas and developing shared understanding. Small groups encourage deeper learning by allowing students to articulate their thoughts, ask questions, and reflect. This method enhances communication skills, teamwork, and peer learning—skills essential for nursing practice.
How it supports learning outcomes:

Promotes higher-order thinking such as analysis and synthesis
Builds interpersonal and teamwork competencies
Encourages reflective thinking and clinical judgment
Enhances communication skills relevant to patient care and multidisciplinary teamwork

Case-Based Learning uses real or simulated clinical cases to guide students in applying theoretical knowledge to practical situations. Students analyze the case, identify problems, make clinical decisions, and justify their reasoning. CBL bridges the gap between theory and practice. It mirrors real-world clinical decision-making and enhances students’ ability to interpret assessment findings, plan care, and anticipate complications. It also supports self-directed learning and evidence-based thinking.
How it supports learning outcomes:

The lecture–discussion method combines structured content delivery with opportunities for questioning and interaction. In clinical training, students observe and practice skills in real or simulated clinical environments under supervision. Lectures efficiently deliver foundational knowledge, and the discussion component encourages clarification, integration, and application. Clinical training provides experiential learning, bridging classroom knowledge with hands-on patient care.
How it supports learning outcomes:

Practical demonstrations involve an instructor performing a skill, procedure, or assessment technique while students observe and learn the correct method. This is often followed by student return-demonstrations. Demonstrations provide clear, structured modelling of psychomotor skills. This method reduces errors, enhances confidence, and ensures students understand the correct steps before attempting the procedure themselves.
How it supports learning outcomes:

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