Integrating a Competency-Based Curriculum Through the Modernization of Teaching Strategies.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Pedagogical Innovation
• Higher Education

Background:

• Traditional lecture-based classrooms dominate higher education.
• Nursing education can transition to active learning and competency-based education (CBE).
• Master's entry students have unique learning needs that can be addressed by modern pedagogy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a scaffolded education innovation (SEI) in a nursing course.
• To integrate active learning strategies with competency-based education (CBE).
• To assess the impact of varied learning methods on student understanding and application.

Main Methods:

• A scaffolded education innovation (SEI) was employed, incorporating pre-class, in-class, and post-class activities.
• The SEI was grounded in competency-based education (CBE) principles.
• Spaced repetition techniques were utilized within an adult and geriatric nursing course.

Main Results:

• Students reported that active learning activities facilitated content learning and application.
• A variety of learning methods was perceived as beneficial for material comprehension.
• The integration of CBE and active learning positively impacted student engagement.

Conclusions:

• Faculty sharing experiences with modernized teaching strategies can build best practices.
• Modernized teaching strategies are crucial for effectively educating contemporary nursing students.
• The study highlights the potential of CBE and active learning in nursing education.