title: Teaching the concept curricula: theory and method.
abstract: Conceptual teaching in nursing education offers benefits over traditional content and fact-laden curricula, including the development of cognitive skills necessary for knowledge transfer across contexts and the ability to transform students into lifelong learners. The recent focus on active and learner-centered teaching techniques does not equate to learning conceptually, although it is a positive move away from teacher-centered techniques. A paucity of educational nursing literature exists that delineates both the theory and methods used to teach conceptually. We present a semiotic framework for teaching conceptually, in addition to outlining three core components necessary for conceptual learners: addressing misconceptions, developing enduring understandings, and acquiring metacognitive skills. Five teaching methods that are particularly fitting for concept-based curricula and useful across all program levels are described and outlined. Active and learner-centered activities can also be designed and adapted to develop the mindset necessary to learn conceptually.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA. pamela.hardin@nurs.utah.edu
authors.forename: Pamela K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Hardin
authors.forename: Stephanie J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D017145:Models, Educational; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D013850:Thinking