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―
The focus of this year’s FNCE
session was on moving from a
teacher-centered approach to
instruction toward a learner-
centered learning experience.
Teaching strategies of the
past century are inadequate for
preparing health professionals of
the future.1 Frenk et al argues
that education of health profes-
sionals has not kept pace with
the changing demographics,
complexities, and environmental
influences on the health care
system.
We can no longer rely on
teaching strategies that focus
mainly on the acquisition of fac-
tual knowledge and professional
socialization; we must move to-
ward transformative learning
strategies that enhance collabo-
rative skills, leadership attributes,
and critical thinking.1
In addition, the Academy rec-
ognized the need for change in
the 2011 Future Connections
Summit report stating that “…the
profession must foster learner-
centered and transformative pro-
fessional education that empha-
sizes leadership development,
critical thinking for decision mak-
ing and change, and competency
in the continuum of future prac-
tice…”.2
Implementation of learner-
centered instruction strategies
has the potential to better pre-
pare health professionals for the
future. Learner-centered instruc-
tion (LCI) puts the responsibility
for learning in the students
hands. The focus of LCI is on
what the student will do to learn,
and less on what the teacher
does.
The predominate teacher-
centered learning (TCI) model
has been highly criticized for sti-
fling students’ emotional and in-
tellectual maturity as it leads to
an emphasis on passive learning
and learned helplessness.3,4
Wright outlines five key factors
that differentiate LCI from TCI.
The first factor is the balance
of power. In TCI the teacher has
all of the power and makes all of
the decisions whereas LCI allows
for a shared balance of power
and gives students room to
choose how and what they will
learn.3
Guidelines and expectations
are provided but how students
choose to learn and demonstrate
learning is less prescriptive. This
puts more control of learning on
the learner and less on the
teacher. Teachers entrenched in
TCI models may find it difficult to
relinquish control.
The second factor is content.
In TCI, there is a heavy focus on
covering content in contrast to
LCI that takes a less is more ap-
proach with a focus on conceptu-
alization rather than memoriza-
tion of facts.3 Conceptualization
requires use of higher order
thinking skills, which may lead to
enhance critical thinking.
The role of the teacher is the
third factor described by Wright.
Using a LCI approach, the
teacher becomes a facilitator or
learning coach as opposed to the
teacher as a giver of information.
This leads directly into the fourth
factor of responsibility for learn-
ing. The LCI model requires stu-
dents to take an active role in the
learning process and take re-
sponsibility for learning in con-
trast to the teacher taking all the
responsibility for whether or not
students learn.3
The final factor is how learn-
ing is evaluated. A TCI approach
relies heavily on summative
evaluation strategies, primarily
exams. Since LCI is more of a
coaching model, evaluation is
more formative in nature and oc-
curs at multiple steps in the
learning process while utilizing a
greater variety of evaluation tools
such as brief summary papers,
peer debates, peer teaching, or
culminating projects. Additionally,
students are given tools for self-
evaluation and peer evaluation.3,5
The LCI model that takes the
above five factors into account
leads to a different learning ex-
perience for the student. Under a
LCI model, students actively en-
gage in applying, practicing, dis-
cussing, reflecting, and creating
products in contrast to listening
passively to lectures under the
TCI model. The aim is to make
learning more relevant and
meaningful using real world con-
text for enhanced problem solv-
ing and decision-making. Col-
laboration and social interactions
between students and instructors
are cornerstones of LCI as op-
posed to the individual, competi-
tive environment of TCI.
Students work together to cre-
ate, find resources, and teach
each other. LCI attempts to fos-
ter intrinsic motivation by asking
questions that peak curiosity and
giving students more control over
their learning experiences. This
interactive environment engages
more of the students’ senses in
the learning process and fosters
the use higher order thinking
skills. Lastly, LCI recognizes the
possibility of more than one way
to accomplish a task in allowing
more creativity in problem solv-
ing in comparison to TCI in which
there is typically only one right
way and answer.3,5,6
There are many established
and potential benefits of LCI.
Benefits include increased un-
derstanding, retention, engage-
ment, and interest in learning.
Additionally, motivation, sense of
empowerment, critical thinking,
and ability to apply new informa-
tion is also increased.4,5,7 Both
students and faculty report
greater satisfaction with LCI.
An important aspect of LCI is
that it accommodates multiple
learning styles which may ac-
count for many of its benefits
mentioned above. Anxiety, desire
to cheat, and learned helpless-
ness is likely to be reduced when
LCI strategies are applied.4,5
Furthermore, LCI encourages
curiosity, desire for lifelong learn-
ing and self-regulated learning3,7;
traits that are essential for the
career advancement and growth
of health professionals. Both the
Academy’s Education and Work-
force taskforces conclude that
the future needs of dietetics pro-
fessionals require critical think-
ing, lifelong desire for learning,
increased understanding and in-
tellectual capacity, adaptability,
leadership, and collaboration
skills to name a few.8
Adopting LCI strategies within
dietetics or other health profes-
sional education will assist in cre-
ating professionals prepared for
future roles in the healthcare
field.
In summary, moving from a
predominately TCI model to an
LCI model can help move the
needle to traits that are desirable
for future dietetics and other
health professionals. LCI is ac-
tive learning and allows students
to take charge of how and what
they will learn. Hansen and
Stephens believe LCI pro-
vides a blueprint for empowering
learners to become independent,
self-critical thinkers, leaders with
courage to take risks and be dif-
ferent, value collaboration and
involvement, and instill intrinsic
value for continued personal
growth and learning.4
“I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide
the conditions in which they can learn.”
NEHP Member News
Laura Matarese, PhD, RD, LDN, FADA is Guest Editor on malnutrition for the Journal of the Academy
of Nutrition and Dietetics’ newly launched Resource Center. The Malnutrition Resource Center (http://
malnutrition.andjrnl.org/) offers peer-reviewed content that may be used as educational tools for health
practitioners.
The site is a free-access forum and features a journal article collection, educational videos, Abbott Nu-
tritional Health Institute educational webcasts and resource links, Academy webcasts, quick polls, and
many other references and resources on malnutrition.
Cancer Screening and
Prevention
Diabetes
Everyday Health and
Wellness
Older Adults
Parents
Obesity causes informa-
tion - Concise research
summaries on issues and
factors that contribute to
the obesity epidemic.
The Healthy Weight
Checklist - Healthy diet
and lifestyle tips for obe-
sity prevention.
In The News - RSS feed
of obesity prevention
headlines from around the
Web.
Nemours’ KidsHealth.org
offers an individual site for par-
ents, kids, teens, and educators
that includes age-specific games,
experiments, FAQs, and re-
source kits for teaching kids to
lead a healthy lifestyle. The kids’
and teens’ sites allow them to
explore how the body works,
easy recipes, and general health
topics.
TogetherCounts.com is a
similar resource geared towards
nurses and teachers
Nutrition.gov compiles tools
such as the:
National Nutrient Data-
base (http://ndb.nal.
usda.gov/ndb/foods/list) -
Search 8,000 foods for
their nutritional content.
Information on Farmer’s
Markets (http://
www.nutrition.gov/
shopping-cooking-meal-
planning/food-shopping-
and-meal-planning/
farmers-markets-fresh-
nutritious).
Resources for easier,
healthier, and cheaper
food-shopping (http://
www.nutrition.gov/
shopping-cooking-meal-
planning/food-shopping-
and-meal-planning).
HOT TOPICS
The USDA collected a variety
of resources to coincide with
June being National Dairy Month.
Resources include:
A PDF (http://www.
choosemyplate.gov/food-
groups/downloads/
TenTips/DGTipsheet 5Go-
tYourDairyToday.pdf) with
10 tips to help you eat and
drink more fat-free or low-
fat dairy foods.
Games for kids and mate-
rials for teachers (http://
www.nichd.nih.gov/milk/
kids/pages/kidsteens.
aspx) to help make learn-
ing about dairy fun.
Calcium and bone health
resources (http://
healthymeals.nal.
usda.gov/resource-library/
bulletin-board-resources/
calcium-and-bone-health-
bulletin-board-resources).
The Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics names and reviews top-
rated, free smart-phone apps for
managing weight, gluten-free di-
ets, and diabetes: http://
www.eatright.org/Media/
content.aspx?id=6442467041.
Foundation HealthCare Net-
work created an app for users to
look up nutritional information
from over 100 popular restau-
rants and over 15,000 food
items: http://www.healthyandfit
communities.com/iphone-
application/restaurant-nutrition.
The Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics also offers radio PSAs
in both English and Spanish at
http://www.eatright.org/radio/.
These 30 second segments
cover everything from portion
control and eating healthy as you
age to grocery tote safety.
A new whey protein microsite
(http://www.wheyprotein.national
dairycouncil.org) contains
downloadable educational infor-
mation and resources about
whey protein, including:
The latest research on
whey protein, exercise re-
covery and healthy aging.
Fact sheets, recipes, and
products.
Q & A section on nutrition
issued addressed by a
Whey Protein Advisory
Panel.