title: Learning how to learn: Meta-learning strategies for the challenges of learning pharmacology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nursing students have difficulty with pharmacology courses because of the complicated nomenclature and the difficulty of applying drug information to actual patient care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  As part of a new pharmacology course being created, meta-learning strategies designed to diminish the difficulties of learning this difficult content were part of the course pedagogy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Strategies were demonstrated, reviewed in class, and implemented through homework assignments.
  
  
  METHODS
  The setting was an Academic Health Center's School of Nursing in the southern United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were third-year nursing students in an undergraduate nursing program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surveys of students' opinions of learning gains were conducted at the end of the course over several semesters. In addition, pharmacology scores on a standardized exit exam were compared prior to implementing the course and after.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students reported learning dry material more easily, having greater confidence, and finding substantial value in the learning strategies. Students indicated the most helpful strategies, in descending order, as follows: making charts to compare and contrast drugs and drug classes, writing out drug flash cards, making or reviewing creative projects, prioritizing information, making or using visual study aids, and using time and repetition to space learning. Implementation of the new course improved pharmacology scores on a standardized exit exam from 67.0% to 74.3%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall response to learning strategies was positive, and the increase in the pharmacology standardized exit exam scores demonstrated the effectiveness of this instructional approach.
authors: School of Nursing, University of Texas, Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1029, USA. Electronic address: suzanne.alton@utmb.edu.
authors: Suzanne
authors: S
authors: Alton
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D010600:Pharmacology / Q000193:education*; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods*; D013338:Students, Nursing; D014481:United States
keywords: Active learning; Education; Learning; Memory; Pharmacology; Problem-based learning; Students; Students, nursing