Introduction
A learner’s ability to capture, digest, and assimilate information determines how well they perform in and outside the classroom. In the nursing sector, learning styles differ among individuals, necessitating a careful evaluation of dominant learning styles for performance improvement. Physical, emotional, mental, and social factors play a significant role in determining students’ readiness to participate in a learning session. The literacy levels of Patient Education Materials should be carefully considered to facilitate information dissemination to the intended groups. In essence, learners’ evaluation is crucial as it aids in identifying potential barriers and developing potential solutions for improved outcomes.
Learners’ Assessment
A student’s critical thinking and academic performance are closely associated with their dominant learning styles. Shirazi and Heidari (2019) describe learning styles as the various methods through which students process the information received. Divergence, convergence, assimilation, and accommodation are the main learning styles in the nursing field that adult learners are most likely to exhibit (Shirazi & Heidari, 2019). Educators can use various methods to identify the predominant learning styles and tailor their teaching methods accordingly.
The note-taking technique is a viable assessment method through which an educator can gain valuable information on the adult learners’ information processing styles. According to Shirazi and Heidari (2019), students react to a teaching method according to their levels of perception and their learning techniques. For instance, while dictating notes, a teacher may note how students note down points and deduce their learning methods. Auditory learners capture information heard and may not take many notes during the class. Similarly, visual learners understand the information presented through figures better than through written notes. Therefore, an educator may use the note-taking evaluation method to determine how the adult learners capture information, thereby informing the teaching method. Problem-solving approaches, social behavior, and choice of learning aids are additional methods that can be used to assess the learning styles. Kinesthetic-physical learners are characterized by having an interest in solving problems on hand and may prefer using physical aids such as whiteboards.
Critical thinking skills entail a student’s ability to use their mind to analyze problems, relate concepts, and draw conclusions. It is mainly applied in situations that require decision-making skills to develop innovative solutions to problems. In the healthcare setting, educators can use validated critical thinking tests to assess the adult learners’ ability to apply critical thinking to various issues within their field. According to Yue et al. (2017), insight assessment tests are used to test students’ necessary thinking abilities. By noting how well students formulate solutions through critical thinking, a teacher can understand the various levels of adult learners’ needs and develop teaching methods that would improve their essential abilities of analysis. In healthcare, students will have to think critically about emerging problems. Since the industry is evolving fast, an educator should pose complex decision-making queries to evaluate how well the adult learners will formulate viable solutions.
The ability to remember concepts and apply them is vital among nursing students. Adult learners in the medical field need to have high cognitive skills to effectively apply theoretical concepts to practical situations. Yue et al. (2017) note that cognitive abilities and critical thinking skills are interrelated as they determine how well a student can recall information and then apply the knowledge through crucial analysis in problem-solving. Cognitive abilities among adult learners can be evaluated through objective and subjective assessments. Objective tests include multiple-choice questions, in which an educator can assess students’ ability to relate questions to the answers provided. Objective tests are usually easier than subjective tests, forming a faster analysis method for adult learners’ cognitive skills assessment. Subjective assessments include oral and essay tests in which students clearly articulate their solutions, revealing their cognitive abilities. With the subjective skills, educators can differentiate between students who merely crammed concepts and those who grasped the ideas behind learned points.
Readiness to Learn and the Associated Barriers
Students’ readiness to learn determines how well they concentrate in class and participate in projects. In this case, self-directed learning is used to evaluate students’ willingness to learn since they are adult learners conscious of their choices and motives. According to Premkumar et al. (2018), a student may go through several phases throughout their course, developing different readiness levels. Understanding the factors influencing their willingness to participate in the learning process can help educators initiate appropriate teaching methods to increase students’ learning readiness and shape their outcomes.
Intellectual ability is one factor that determines how well a student participates in learning processes. During intake, students are examined to ascertain that they meet the basic entry criteria for nursing education. However, academic performance in previous levels does not necessarily imply a high intellectual ability. In addition, an educator’s teaching method should be matched to the student’s intellectual capabilities. Premkumar et al. (2018) argue that students are more willing to learn when they feel that the lessons taught are within their cognitive abilities. Therefore, teachers need to evaluate the adult learners’ intellectual abilities through several interactive learning processes to comprehend their readiness to learn.
Prior learning and experience are viable factors determining how ready students are to process nursing information and apply it. There are close connections between information processing and prior knowledge. This comes from the idea that knowledge is cumulative, implying that having previous experience may positively influence a learner’s willingness to participate in the nursing lessons (Premkumar et al., 2018). Nursing educators should assess their students to determine their experience level through past encounters and develop an awareness of their readiness to learn.
Family challenges and social pressures are critical factors in adult learning assessment because such individuals are involved in community activities that pose several challenges to their learning processes. Although a student may be willing to concentrate in school, external forces outside their control may limit their abilities to comprehend nursing lessons, limiting their readiness to partake in the learning process (Premkumar et al., 2018). Therefore, educators should develop close relationships with students to understand their social lives and help them accordingly.
Strategies to Remove Barriers to Students’ Readiness to Learn
Based on the barriers outlined above, two main techniques can improve students’ motivation and eagerness to learn. First, peer education should be encouraged throughout the coursework. A key benefit of peer education is that it promotes participation and encourages performance improvement. Since adult learners may be going through similar challenges in life, learning with their peers may encourage them to support each other. Premkumar et al. (2018) comment that lack of motivation is a significant barrier to learning. Therefore, encouraging peer learning may help students increase their desire to learn as they compete among themselves. In addition, peer earning eliminates the fear of asking questions, thereby enabling students to gather sufficient information that increases their willingness to learn.
Second, educators should encourage open communication to enable students to highlight their challenges and encourage participation. Notably, most adult students need to feel that their input is valued. Since it may not be practical to understand all students’ circumstances, encouraging them to speak openly about their needs and preferences may be the best technique for increasing their desire for learning. Discussion boards provide an effective learning platform through which student can discuss their views and receive constructive feedback. In addition to classroom interactions, educators should encourage co-curricular activities that relieve students’ physical and psychological burdens, making it easier to talk about their challenges. Through communication, adult learners would develop a sense of belonging and participate more in learning activities. Premkumar et al. (2018) assert that adult learners would be more likely to participate in a learning environment where their input is appreciated. Therefore constrictive environments without the freedom of speech and expression should be minimized.
Literacy levels of the PEM
PEM chosen: “Using insulin to treat your diabetes: What it means for you”
First 100 word paragraph: Insulin is a hormone that helps your body use the sugar you get from the food you eat. Insulin levels rise and fall in response to the level of glucose in your blood. Insulin’s main job is to help glucose get from your blood into the cells of your body, where it is used as fuel to keep the cells working normally. The pancreas is the organ in your body that produces insulin throughout the day. • When you have type 1 diabetes, you do not produce insulin • When you have type 2 diabetes, you either do not produce enough insulin or your body’s cells do not respond to the insulin properly, called insulin resistance.
Second 100 word paragraph: When you need to take insulin, there are different types. In some cases, you may use a mixture of different types, such as short-acting and long-acting insulins. People with type 1 diabetes must use insulin injections to keep their blood sugar at a normal or close to normal level. Most people have no problem getting used to taking insulin injections. They feel better when their blood sugar is well controlled. People with type 2 diabetes often need to add insulin to control their blood sugar when oral medications or non-insulin injectable medications (exenatide and liraglutide) are not enough.
Third 100 word paragraph: Number of insulin injections you take may vary from once a day to using different types of insulin at different times of the day. When you first start taking insulin, your healthcare provider will decide on the type, the amount, and frequency of the injections of insulin you need. This will be based on your lifestyle, blood sugar level, and any other diabetic medications you may be taking. Monitoring your diet along with your blood sugar levels will be important in deciding if any changes are needed in your insulin dose. Remember that insulin injections will lower your blood sugar level.
Analysis
- FRY grade= 5th grade
- Using the Fog criteria, the readability score is calculated as follows using the first two paragraphs
Average sentence length (ASL) =number of words/number of sentences
=212/12
=17.67
Percentage of hard words (PHW) =16
Readability score=0.4(ASL +PHW) = 13.46
- Using the SMOG formula
Complex words are to be considered in this case because the number of words is less than 30.
No. of complex words=30
SMOG index=3+square root of 30
=8.47
The appropriateness of Fog, FRY and SMOG tools for patient education.
The readability assessment tools indicated above are crucial for patient education because they inform the responsible parties of the complexity of information presented, enabling them to lower the literacy level accordingly. The appropriateness of these tools is based on four main considerations. First, numbers included in the text are not considered in the readability evaluation (Daraz et al., 2018). This is important since words are assumed not to carry any complex details. Second, they consider the words while ignoring the format of PEM presentation.
Third, technical words applied within the PEM and jargons are ignored. This is to ensure that the assessment is based on the general population’s readability levels, for whom technical details are not needed. Fourth, the purpose of these tools is to evaluate how hard or easy it is to read a text without taking into account the levels of understanding (Daraz et al., 2018). In most cases, PEMs target specific populations and the information is so structured that whoever is able to read it should understand it. Therefore the Fog, SMOG, and Fry tools are appropriate for the readability evaluation of all PEMs used within the healthcare sector.
Recommendations for Reducing the Literacy Level
Lowering the literacy level would make the text easy to read, which is the primary goal of PEMs. Considering the chosen PEM on insulin and diabetes, the literacy level can be reduced in three main ways. First, the frequency by which complex words are used within the passage can be reduced. For instance, the word injectable has been used severally, adding to the complexity (Administrator, 2020). Second, a simpler explanation of medical terms can be given to facilitate readability. For example, the word insulin is a medical word that has been repeated within the text without a clear explanation of its implication (Administrator, 2020). Third, the readability van be enhanced by better formatting such as increased spaces between words and appropriate indents.
Conclusion
In conclusion, learners’ abilities to grasp educational content differs among individuals. The teaching methods adopted by educators should match the students’ learning styles. Note-taking and critical thinking tests are some of the best methods that can enable educators to understand students’ skills and potential barriers to learning. Assessing a PEM’s readability level through methods such as SMOG, Fog, and Fry helps to identify ways through which nursing material can be improved for better communication within the field.
References
Administrator. (2020). Using insulin to treat your diabetes: What it means for you.Association of Clinicians for the Underserved. Web.
Daraz, L., Morrow, A. S., Ponce, O. J., Farah, W., Katabi, A., Majzoub, A., Seisa, M., Benkhadra, R.,Alsawas, M., Larry, P., & Murad, M. H. (2018). Readability of online health information: A meta-narrative systematic review.American Journal of Medical Quality, 33(5), 487-492. Web.
Premkumar, K., Vinod, E., Sathishkumar, S., Pulimood, A. B., Umaefulam, V., Samuel, P. P., & John, T. A. (2018). Self-directed learning readiness of Indian medical students: A mixed method study.BMC medical education, 18(1), 1-10. Web.
Shirazi, F., & Heidari, S. (2019). The Relationship between critical thinking skills and learning styles and academic achievement of nursing students.The Journal of Nursing Research: JNR, 27(4), 38-39. Web.
Yue, M., Zhang, M., Zhang, C., & Jin, C. (2017). The effectiveness of concept mapping on development of critical thinking in nursing education: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Nurse Education Today, 52, 87-94. Web.