Page 265 - Nutrition Counseling and Education Skills: A Guide for Professionals

participation. Good for higher-level
cognitive objectives.

Laboratory experiments Learn by experience. Hands-on Requires space, time. Group size

method. Active participation. Good limited.

for higher-level cognitive objectives.

Simulation (e.g., scenarios, in- Active participation. Requires Time-consuming. Group size

basket, role-playing, critical critical thinking. Develops problem- limited unless on computer.

incidents) solving skills. Connects theory and

practice. More interesting. Good for

higher-level cognitive and affective

objectives.

Demonstration Realistic visual image. Appeals to Requires equipment. Requires time.
several senses. Can show a large Learner is passive, unless can
group. Good for psychomotor practice.
domain.

Table 12-1 ■ Strengths and Weaknesses of Teaching Methods

In deciding on the method that will be most effective, the instructor may be guided by several factors.
These may include the educational purpose, learner preference or style, learner needs, group size, facilities
available, time available, cost, and one’s previous experience or the degree of success with the techniques. One
must consider what is effective for different populations, such as those from different cultural and ethnic
groups, socioeconomic groups, educational and literacy levels, and age groups so that desired outcomes are
reached.2

The domain of the performance objectives may suggest which approach is most appropriate since methods
and techniques differ for cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains. All factors being equal, the
practitioner should select the technique that requires the most active participation of the learner and includes
strategies for effective behavioral change. Studies show that the more actively a person is involved in the
learning process, the better the retention.3 Figure 12-1 shows that reading and hearing information are not as
productive as both seeing and hearing or, better yet, discussing information or doing something with it.

Lectures

The lecture is the presentation technique that is most familiar to people. It is a traditional passive method of
informing and transferring knowledge—the lowest level in the cognitive domain—from the teacher to the
learner. It is especially useful in situations with a large number of learners, a great deal of information to be
communicated, and a limited amount of available time.4 Examples are a class on sanitation for food service
employees or on cholesterol and fat in relation to heart disease for work site employees or medical center
clients.

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