The first purpose of this study was to determine the effect of simulation in high school United States History classes on students’ cognitive retention of facts, concepts, and principles. The second purpose was to determine the effect of the simulation technique on students’ and teachers’ affective perceptions of the learning experience.

Thesis (M.A.)--Ball State University, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Sept. 01, 2009). Research paper (M.A.), 3 hrs. Includes bibliographical references (p. 39-42).

Theses (Ed. D.)--Marshall University, 2007. / Title from document title page. Includes abstract. Document formatted into pages: contains vii, 261 pages. Bibliography: p. 193-241.

Aim. The aim of this study was to examine the generational differences of undergraduate nursing students’ learning style preferences and their preferred faculty teaching methods to the teaching methods used most often by nursing faculty in the classroom. Background. Nursing educators are responsible for creating learning environments that are effective for students that are in different generations and nursing educational pathways. Each generational cohort brings a collective set of characteristics, expectations, and preferences to the classroom, challenging educators to balance the generational learning styles of all students with respectable, evidence-based, pedagogical approaches. This study was one of the first to explore Generation Z’s preferred teaching method preferences used in the classroom. Method. Both descriptive and inferential statistical procedures were used for this study. A one-sample Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to evaluate the difference between each of the learning style preferences, followed by a Kruskal-Wallis test that compared the generational differences to the learning styles. A Likelihood-ratio Chi-square (LR χ2) was performed to assess for association between generational cohorts and their preferred teaching methods used in the classroom. Results. One hundred eighty-four undergraduate nursing students; and sixty-seven nursing faculty from ten Southeastern states were included in the sample for this study. Using the Index of Learning Styles® survey, results found nursing students had either a balanced active/reflective and sequential/global learning style, or a sensing or visual learning styles. With regards to preferred teaching methods, lecture, and the use of visual aids in the classroom were identified as the top teaching methods preferred by both student and faculty participants. Conclusion. Nurse educators are responsible for creating learning environments that are inclusive of students from diverse generational cohorts, spanning six decades and in multiple nursing educational pathways. These results provide new information for nursing educators to utilize in various academic settings.

A research experiment was performed in the Utah State University Child Development Laboratory on a group of pre-school children consisting of ten boys and ten girls between the ages of three and four years in an attempt to discover that teaching method which will best sustain a child's interest while teaching a foreign language in an experimental situation. The procedure involved the evaluation of three different methods. 1) German conversation in a group utilizing audio-visual aids, 2) Group singing of a German song, and 3) Telling a story in German using a flannel board with illustrations. These three methods were performed three times each over a five-week period. The results showed that there was not statistically a significant difference. The findings did show, however, that the flannelboard story sustained the interest of the group best, next the singing of a German song and the least effective was conversation in German. The results did indicate that the interest of the children dropped considerably from the first to the third time that the conversation method was performed. The interest of the children increased considerably from the first to the third time that the singing of a German Bong was performed. The interest of the children appeared to stay about the same over the three times that the flannel-board story was performed. Femininity and masculinity appear to influence the responses of children to a language-learning situation. That method which will best sustain children's interest in a language-learning situation appears to be dependent on where the children are in their familiarity with the language.

This thesis investigates what types of teaching approaches and methods can be used when teaching idiomatic expressions to learners of English. The method used is a small-scale research synthesis where studies are summarized, compared and discussed. An overview of the teaching approaches and methods provide an outline of the strengths and weaknesses of each approach/method in connection to the purpose of teaching idioms to language learners of English. Several different descriptions of idioms are merged into one that is used in this research synthesis. The results indicate that even though teaching procedures appealing to Multiple Intelligences are most common in the articles used for this thesis, there are several different ways to improve learners’ idiom comprehension. Every teacher should have in mind that all students are unique and learn in different ways but some generalizations can be helpful when planning lessons. Keywords: idioms, figurative language, teaching method, teaching approach

This thesis investigated why games are a helpful tool in the teaching classroom and what methods could be used when teaching with the help of games. The research method was a small-scale research synthesis where former studies were summarized and compared. In addition to this, interviews (with two teachers who had focused on developing their teaching with the help of games) were conducted in order for the research to become as sufficient as possible. An overview of the ways in which games could be beneficial in the classroom has been provided and also the reasons to why they should be used.The results indicated that games should be used in a more conscious way and that learners can benefit from learning with the help of games.

The propose of this study was to determine the effectiveness and appropriateness of the integrated holistic method for teaching grammatical structure, cultural norms and behavior, writing and listening skills to beginning German language students. The study examined a sample of undergraduate students who were enrolled in the introductory college level German offered at the Collin County Community College, Spring Creek Campus in Plano, Texas. A total of 24 students participated in this study. This study utilized a pre- and posttest group to measure the instructional effectiveness of the integrated holistic teaching method. Structural grammar, cultural norms and behavior, writing, and listening skills were used as dependent variables. The holistic integrated teaching method were measured at the end of the course as independent variables. Individual pre- and posttests were used for each of the dependent variables. The higher posttest mean scores indicated significant improvement in student learning level in four major language skills such as structural grammar, cultural norms and behavior, writing, and listening through the holistic integrated teaching method.

Simulation in nursing education has become a standard method of instruction to provide nursing students with a realistic and safe environment in which to practice and hone clinical skills. There are three components to a nursing simulation: prebriefing, the simulation experience, and debriefing. While there is a list of minimum criteria recommended for the prebriefing experience at the time of this dissertation there were no published frameworks or models for prebriefing. A quasi-experimental pretest/posttest study assessed the impact of a structured prebriefing method on sophomore level nursing students’ (N = 55) clinical judgment, perception of their ability to care for patients, and their perceptions of the prebriefing and simulation experiences when compared to a group that was exposed to only the standard prebriefing criteria. All participants had the same simulation scenario. Participants were placed in groups of four then groups were randomly assigned to the structured prebriefing (intervention) or standard prebriefing (control). The instruments used in this study were the Satisfaction and Confidence in Learning Scale (SCLS), Prebriefing Experience Scale (PES), Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR), and the Perception to Care in Acute Situations (PCAS). This dissertation includes two chapters based on the same study as well as a chapter of lessons learned with commentary on completing nursing education research with postpandemic nursing students. The first dataset reported are results from the SCLS and PES. These instruments are posttest only and were completed after the prebriefing and simulation experience. The second dataset reported are results from the LCJR and the PCAS. The LCJR was used by two faculty members to rate student demonstration of clinical judgment during the simulation scenario. The PCAS was implemented as pretest/posttest; participants completed it upon arrival to their scheduled simulation then again after the simulation scenario was finished. All data were collected prior to debriefing as the groups had different debriefing experiences. The findings of this study indicate that all participants were satisfied with the simulation and prebriefing experiences. No statistically significant differences were found between group perceptions of confidence, satisfaction, or prebriefing. There was a statistically significant increase from pretest to posttest scores on the PCAS on which participants rated themselves higher in their perceptions to care for patients. There was no interaction as there was not a statistically significant interaction between group and time. There were no statistically significant differences between groups for participant clinical judgment scores as rated by two faculty members. Unprecedented attrition and retention were seen in the participant cohort. Though not an aim of this study, this phenomenon is attributed to the changes being seen in the postpandemic learner. More students did not return after their first year than in previous years and 49% were unsuccessful in the Fundamentals of Nursing course compared to the usual 5%. These results show that while participants were satisfied with both interventions, and their confidence in their ability to provide care did increase after the simulation, there may not be a difference between structured and standard prebriefing. Additional studies are needed with different cohorts to determine if structured prebriefing has an effect on nursing student clinical judgment or if the unique variables caused by COVID-19 had lingering effects on these participants.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Critical theory forms part of the foundation of the South African school curriculum. The development of critical thinking is part of the general aims of the curriculum. This study will investigate the possibility of developing critical thinking through the use of drama as a teaching method in the subject Life Orientation in the further education and training phase (FET) Grades 10-12. This problem statement will be researched through a quantitative literature study. The school curriculum underwent a transformation since 1994 from a content- and teacher driven curriculum to an experience- and student centred approach to teaching. New subjects were also included in the curriculum such as Life Orientation. There are, however, various implementation problems with regards to Life Orientation. These implementation problems can mainly be attributed to the insufficient in- and pre service training that teachers receive and their inability to use progressive teaching methods. The Life Orientation curriculum does, however, provide opportunity for the development of critical thinking skills. The concept of critical theory will be investigated as philosophical and theoretical basis for this study. The influence of critical theory on the critical pedagogy of Freire will be discussed to show the relationship between education and critical theory. Furthermore, the influence of critical theory on the development of Brecht’s Epic theatre will also be investigated. Finally, a definition for critical thinking will be put forward, after which the question whether critical thinking is developed through the school curriculum will be investigated. Different approaches to drama as a teaching method is briefly discussed. Dorothy Heathcoat’s approach to drama in education is chosen as a focus for this study as she uses drama as a teaching method to teach subject content and to develop thinking skills through reflection. Heathcote uses Brecht’s Epic theatre techniques to alienate the students in order for them to critically reflect on the content that is being taught. Process drama is a more accessible approach to drama in education, but it uses the same core elements namely improvisation, role-play and reflection. Process drama consists of an improvised role-play where the class collectively takes part and the teacher-in-role steers the educational experience through questions that leads to reflection. It is during this reflection that critical thinking is developed. Process drama can be used to teach the content of Life Orientation and develop critical thinking. It, however, requires the teacher to be the director, actor, writer, teacher and self-audience. During the planning of the process drama lesson the teacher also has to follow a certain process where the theme, contexts, roles, dramatic focus, tension elements and signs for the lesson is identified. To illustrate how drama as a teaching method can be used in Life Orientation, three lesson plans are provided. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kritiese teorie vorm deel van die grondbeginsels waarop die Suid-Afrikaanse skoolkurrikulum gebou is. Kritiese denke en die ontwikkeling daarvan is ook deel van die algemene doelstellings van die kurrikulum. Hierdie studie ondersoek die moontlikheid of kritiese denke bevorder kan word deur drama as onderrigmetode te gebruik binne die vak Lewensoriëntering in die verdere onderwys en opleidingsbaan (VOO) Grade 10-12. Daar sal van ’n kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering gebruik gemaak word om die probleemstelling te ondersoek in die vorm van ’n literatuurstudie. Die skoolkurrikulum het sedert 1994 getransformeer vanaf ’n inhouds-, onderwysergedrewe kurrikulum, na ’n ervaringsleer- en leerdergesentreerde benadering tot onderwys. Daar is ook nuwe vakke toegevoeg tot die kurrikulum, soos Lewensoriëntering. Daar is egter heelwat implementeringsprobleme met Lewensoriëntering en dit kan grotendeels toegeskryf word aan die swak in- en prediensopleiding wat onderwysers ontvang en hulle onvermoë om progressiewe onderrigmetodes te gebruik. Die Lewensoriëntering kurrikulum leen hom egter daartoe om kritiese denke te . As filosofiese en teoretiese basis vir die ondersoek word kritiese teorie omskryf. Die invloed van kritiese teorie op die kritiese pedagogie van Freire word bespreek om die verband tussen onderwys en kritiese teorie aan te dui. Die invloed wat kritiese teorie gehad het op die ontwikkeling van Brecht se Epiese teater word ondersoek. Daarna word kritiese denke gedefinieer en word daar ondersoek ingestel of kritiese denke deur die skoolkurrikulum ontwikkel word. Verskillende benaderings tot drama as ’n onderrigmetode word kortliks bespreek, waarna Dorothy Heathcote se benadering tot drama-in-die-onderwys as fokus vir die studie bepaal word, omdat sy drama as ’n onderrigmetode aanwend om vakinhoud te onderrig en denkprosesse te ontwikkel deur refleksie. Heathcote gebruik Brecht se Epiese teater-tegnieke om die leerders te vervreem en krities te laat reflekteer oor die inhoud wat onderrig word. Prosesdrama is ’n toegankliker vorm van Heathcote se benadering tot drama-in-die-onderwys, maar dit gebruik dieselfde kernelemente soos improvisasie, rolspel en refleksie. Prosesdrama bestaan uit geïmproviseerde rolspel waartydens die klas kollektief deelneem en die onderwyser-in-rol die leerervaring stuur en vrae aan die leerders stel wat hulle lei in refleksie. Dis tydens hierdie refleksie wat kritiese denke bevorder word. Prosesdrama kan gebruik word om die inhoud van die vak Lewensoriëntering te onderrig en kritiese denke te ontwikkel. Dit vereis wel dat die onderwyser die regisseur, akteur, skrywer, onderwyser en selftoeskouer word. Tydens die beplanning van ’n prosesdramales, moet die onderwyser ’n proses volg waar hy/sy moet besluit wat die tema, konteks, rolle, dramatiese fokus, spanningselemente en tekens gaan wees wat tydens die les gebruik gaan word. Om te illustreer hoe drama as onderrigmetode aangewend kan word binne die vak Lewensoriëntering, word drie lesplanne opgestel en bespreek.