Active Learning: A Concept Analysis With Implications for Nursing Education

The aim of this study was to understand the concept of active learning and its potential use in nursing academia.

The demands for innovative teaching-learning strategies in higher education increased in the past decade to foster higher level of thinking. The nurse educator must prepare students entering the nursing profession, which mandates safe patient care, using a pedagogical learning process such as active learning.

The Walker and Avant method guided this concept analysis.

The attributes of the concept are learner-centered; dynamic, meaningful, and engaging learning environment; bidirectional collaborative interaction between educator and learner; and ongoing constructive and nonjudgmental feedback. The identified antecedents include the educator's active learning expertise and the learner's capacity for higher order thinking.

Nurse educators are responsible for providing effective learning environments based on a sound pedagogical approach. Active learning's desirable outcomes call for educator support as experts in implementation.