Teaching the concept curricula: theory and method

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.