Chapter 12
Instructional Materials
Instructional Materials
Print and Nonprint Media
• Definition: the tangible substances and
real objects used to help communicate
information necessary for learning
• Purposes: to help the nurse educator
deliver a message creatively and clearly
General Principles of Effectiveness
Media should:
• Change behavior by influencing a gain in
cognitive, affective, and/or psychomotor
skills
• Enhance learning—no one tool is better
than another
• Complement the instructional methods
General Principles (cont’d)
Media should (cont’d):
• Match available financial resources
• Be appropriate for physical environment
• Complement learners’ sensory abilities,
developmental stage, and educational level
• Impart accurate, current, valid and
appropriate messages
• Add diversity and information to learning
Choosing Instructional Materials
Major Variables to Consider
• Characteristics of the Learner
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Physical abilities
Perceptual abilities
Literacy
Motivational level
Developmental stage
Learning style
Major Variables to Consider (cont’d)
• Characteristics of the Media
– Print
– Nonprint
• Characteristics of the Task
– Learning domain
– Complexity of behavior
Three Major Components of
Instructional Materials
• Delivery System
– Definition: both the physical form and the
hardware used to present materials
– Examples of physical form and hardware
– Slides with projector
– Videotapes with VCRs
– Computer software with computer
Components (cont’d)
• Content
– Definition: actual information imparted to
the learner
– Selection criteria
– Accuracy
– Appropriateness for skill determination
– Readability
Components (cont’d)
• Presentation
– Definition: the form most important for
selecting/developing instructional materials
– Concrete to abstract continuum
– Realia
– Illusionary representations
– Symbolic representations
Types of Instructional Materials
Written Materials
• Advantages
– Available to learner in absence of teacher
– Widely acceptable, familiar
– Readily available, relatively cheap
– Convenient form
– Learner controls rate of reading
– Content easily altered to target specific
audiences
Written Materials (cont’d)
• Disadvantages
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Most abstract form of reality
Immediate feedback limited
Proper reading level essential for full usefulness
Less useful with low literate learners or visually or
cognitively impaired learners
– Inappropriate for illiterate learners
Written Materials—
Commercially Prepared
• Factors to be considered
– Who produced the item? Was there any
input by healthcare professionals?
– Can the item be previewed?
– The price must be consistent with its
educational value.
Written Materials—Instructor
Composed
Guidelines for Effective Writing
• Fit your own institution’s policies,
procedures and equipment.
• Build in answers to those questions asked
most frequently by your patients.
• Highlight points considered especially
important by your healthcare team.
• Reinforce specific oral instructions and
clarify difficult concepts.
Guidelines for Effective Writing (cont’d)
• Keep words and sentences short. Use
conversational style. Use active voice.
• Use second person “you.”
• Most important information goes first.
• Do not use all-capital letters.
• Use advance organizers.
• Emphasize key points with end review.
Evaluating Printed Materials
Consider:
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Nature of the audience
Literacy level required
Linguistic variety available
Brevity and clarity
Layout and appearance
Opportunity for repetition
Concreteness and familiarity
Demonstration Materials Displays
• Advantages
– Fast way to attract attention, make a point
– Flexible
– Portable
– Reusable
– Stimulate interest or ideas in observer
– Can change or influence attitudes
– Purchasable and/or can be made
Demonstration Materials
Displays (cont’d)
• Disadvantages
– Take up a lot of space
– Time-consuming to prepare—often reused,
outdated
– May be overused
– Unsuitable for large audiences
Demonstration Materials
Posters as Popular Display Tools
Consider:
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Color
White space
Graphics
KISS principle
Titles/Script
Balance of content
Demonstration Materials Models
• Advantages
– Useful when real object is too small, too
large, too expensive, unavailable, or too
complex
– Allows safe, hands-on practice
– More active involvement by the learner
with immediate feedback available
– Readily available
Demonstration Materials
Models (cont’d)
• Disadvantages
– May not be suitable for learner with poor
abstraction abilities or for visually impaired
– Some models fragile, expensive, bulky, or
difficult to transport
– Cannot be observed or manipulated by
more than a few learners at a time
Demonstration Materials
Three Specific Types of Models
• Replicas
– Examples: anatomical models, resuscitation
dolls
• Analogues
– Examples: dialysis machines, computer
models
• Symbols
– Examples: words, cartoons, formulas, signs
Audiovisual Materials
• Factors in selection
– Technical feasibility
– Economic feasibility
– Social/political acceptability
– Instructor familiarity
Audiovisual Materials (cont’d)
• Projected Learning Resources
– Movies and filmstrips
– Power Points
– Overhead transparencies
Projected Learning Resources
• Advantages
– Most effectively used with groups
– Especially beneficial with hearing-impaired,
low-literate learners
– Excellent media for use in teaching
psychomotor skills
Projected Learning Resources
(cont’d)
• Disadvantages
– Lack of flexibility due to static content of
some forms
– Some forms may be expensive
– Requires darkened room for some forms
– Requires special equipment for use
Audio Learning Resources
• Audiotapes, Radio, CD
• Advantages
– Widely available
– May be especially beneficial to visuallyimpaired, low literate learners
– May be listened to repeatedly
– Most forms practical, cheap, small,
portable
Audio Learning Resources (cont’d)
• Disadvantages
– Relies only on sense of hearing
– Some forms may be expensive
– Lack of opportunity for interaction between
instructor and learner
Video Learning Resources
• Purchased or self-made tapes
• Advantages
– Widely used educational tool
– Inexpensive; uses visual, auditory senses
– Flexible for use with different audiences
– Powerful tool for role-modeling and
demonstration
– Effective for teaching psychomotor skills
Video Learning Resources (cont’d)
• Disadvantages
– Quality of videotapes can deteriorate over
time
– Some commercial products may be
expensive
– Some purchased materials may be too
long or inappropriate for audience
Telecommunications Learning
Resources
Telephones, Televisions
• Advantages
– Relatively inexpensive, widely available
• Disadvantages
– Complicated to set up interactive capability
– Expensive to broadcast via satellite
Computer Learning Resources
• Advantages
– Interactive potential: quick feedback,
retention
– Potential database is enormous
– Can individualize to suit different types of
learners, different pace of learning
– Time efficient
Computer Learning Resources
(cont’d)
• Disadvantages
– Primary learning efficacy: cognitive domain
less useful for attitude/behavior change or
psychomotor skill development
– Software and hardware expensive
– Must be purchased
– Limited use for most older adults, low
literate learners, those with physical
limitations
Evaluation Criteria for
Selecting Materials
• Considerations
– Learner characteristics
– Task(s) to be achieved
– Media available
• Evaluation Checklist
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Content
Instructional design
Technical production
Packaging
State of the Evidence
• Performance is improved and
learner satisfaction increased with
visual reinforcement.
• Distance learning is an increasingly
viable option for learners.
Summary
Instructional materials should be
used to support learning by
complementing and supplementing
your teaching, not by substituting
for it.