2. Instructional Materials
• Definition: the vehicle by which
information is communicated
• Purposes: to help the nurse educator
deliver a message creatively and clearly
• Intended to supplement, rather than
replace, the act of teaching and the role of
the teacher
3. 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
4. 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
5. Choosing Instructional Materials
Major Variables to Consider
• Characteristics of the Learner
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Sensorimotor abilities
Physical attributes
Reading skills
Motivational level
Developmental stages
Learning styles
6. Major Variables to Consider (cont’d)
• Characteristics of the Media
– Print
– Demonstration
– Audiovisual
– Nonprint
• Characteristics of the Task
– Learning domain
– Complexity of behavior
7. Three Major Components of
Instructional Materials
• Delivery System
– Definition: both the software (physical form)
and the hardware used to present materials
– Examples of physical form and hardware
– PowerPoint slides and a computer
– DVDs with DVD players
8. Components (cont’d)
• Content
– Definition: actual information imparted to
the learner
– Selection criteria
– Accuracy
– Appropriateness for skill determination
– Readability
9. Components (cont’d)
• Presentation
– Definition: the form most important for
selecting/developing instructional materials
– Concrete to abstract continuum
– Realia
– Illusionary representations
– Symbolic representations
10. 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
11. 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
12. 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.
13. 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.
15. Demonstration Materials Displays
• Advantages
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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
16. 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
17. Demonstration Materials
Posters as Popular Display Tools
Consider:
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Color
White space
Graphics
KISS principle
Titles/Script
Balance of content
18. 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
19. 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
23. 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
24. 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
25. Audio Learning Resources
• CDs, Digital Sound Files, Radio, Podcasts
• Advantages
– Widely available
– May be especially beneficial to visuallyimpaired, low literate learners
– May be listened to repeatedly
– Most forms practical, cheap, small, portable
26. 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
27. Video Learning Resources
• Digital Video Files, DVDs, Webinars
• Advantages
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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
28. Video Learning Resources (cont’d)
• Disadvantages
– Viewing formats limited depending on use of
VHS or DVD
– Some commercial products may be
expensive
– Some purchased materials may be too long
or inappropriate for audience
30. 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
31. 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, lowliterate learners, those with physical
limitations
32. 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
33. State of the Evidence
• Performance is improved and
learner satisfaction increased with
visual reinforcement.
• Distance learning is an increasingly
viable option for learners.
