An Assessment of Classroom Teaching Strategies Utilized by Nurse Educators on Diploma Nursing Students at Kenya Medical Training College Vihiga Campus

Abstract

In recent decades, globally, nursing educators have tended to use innovative teaching strategies in the classroom rather than traditional teaching strategies. This is raid advance due to benefits such as increased self-confidence and competency levels. Despite there being ain technology, little is known about the teaching strategies being used by the nurse educators to prepare students for real life practice experience. The goal of the study was to determine the classroom teaching strategies utilized by nurse educators at KMTC- Vihiga. The study utilized descriptive cross sectional research design. The target population comprised of 11 nursing educators and 350 KRCHN nurse students. The study employed the stratified sampling technique for the nursing student respondents. For the nurse educators, purposive sampling technique was used. Data collection tools were two structured questionnaires which were used to obtain information from respondents. This was after pretest showed validity and reliability of the tool. Data was analyzed using quantitative techniques by use of the Statistical package for Social Science Software version 25 for windows and excel version 10. Descriptive and inferential data analysis were used particularly the Analysis of variance and chi square test. The findings obtained show that nurse educators were predominantly using traditional teaching strategy although the innovative teaching was also minimally used. The chi square analysis showed that no association was found between number of years since last qualification and frequency of use of lecture teaching strategy However, there was an association between number of years since last qualification and utilization of storytelling during teaching by nurse educators On further analysis of variance the study found that there was a statistically significant difference in knowledge between age groups as determined by one way Analysis of variance. Similarly there was a significant difference in attitude towards teaching strategies as determined by one way Analysis of analysis of variance. Pearson product moment correlation coefficient was computed to assess the relationship between nurse educator’s knowledge and rating of attitude towards the teaching strategies. There was a significant correlation. This showed that increases in nurse educator attitude were correlated with increase in nurse educators’ knowledge of teaching strategies. The recommendations included, designing of a curriculum which includes innovative teaching strategies for the nurse educators. Nurse educators should utilize the computers and internet for the benefit of students learning.