Questioning strategies are a key element of active learning. Nurse educators use Benjamin Bloom’s six levels of cognitive learning: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. These provide a framework for constructing questions. Question strategies involve using words in the question that determine the level of learning required for the answer. High-level objectives include analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
Concept mapping promotes problem solving and critical thinking through processing complex relationships. A concept map is a tool used to represent the relationship between concepts in a hierarchical manner. The map provides a way to connect concepts, increasing visualization during the learning process. Relationships between ideas, content, concepts, procedures and principles may consist of general or complex detail.
Problem-based learning uses patient situations to stimulate students into acquiring and applying information. Students encounter clinical settings prior to learning clinical concepts. This type of learning encourages active learning through self-direction, self-appraisal and teamwork. This strategy forces students to have discipline and integrate information. It improves reasoning skills and increases retention of material.
Case-based instruction is the opposite of problem-based learning in that students learn the clinical concepts by reading scenarios prior to being part of real-life cases. Students apply learned theories to real situations. The use of actual cases allows students to integrate and apply learned knowledge and skills, such as clinical reasoning, critical thinking, problem solving and interpersonal abilities. Real case studies provide students with the advantages of participatory and reflective learning.
Self-directed learning strategies force students to take a more active role in their own education. Some aspects of self-directed learning include goal-setting, locating resources, deciding which learning methods to use, and progress evaluation. A major part of self-directed learning is self-evaluation. Self-evaluation allows students to become independent and accurately identify their strengths and weaknesses. This strategy empowers students to have control of their performance.