Education Methodologies
The Key to Effective Teaching
By Lucille Contois
Pre-Test
 1. The statement, “ The student will explain the principle of the direct
antiglobulin test”, is an example of a (n)?
– A. Goal
– B. Objective
– C. Course description
– D. Competency
 2. Given the objective “To increase the student’s ability to perform ELISA
assays”, the error made in writing the objective is?
– A. Omitting the terminal behavior
– B. Emphasizing the teaching process
– C. Not using an action verb
– D. Not describing an observable behavior
 3. Rank the objective,” Given a patient sample for chemistry tests, the
student will separate the serum from the red cells,” by using a total of 3
general taxonomic levels.
 4. The objective,”the student will protect the Confidentiality of a patient’s
lab results” would be classified in which domain?
Pre-Test cont’d
 5. Objectives, learning activities, and test; is anything
missing from this instructional unit? If yes, what?
 6. Which of the following evaluation tools would be most
effective in evaluating a student’s “psychomotor skills”?
–
–
–
–
A.
B.
C.
D.
Anecdotal records
Checklists
Critical incident techniques
Objective tests
 7. For the objective “Defend the practice of wearing latex
gloves for phlebotomy procedures (consider isolation
policies, infection control principles and blood collection
procedures); Is the following test question
appropriate?______
– True or False? HIV can be acquired through openings in the skin
(chapped hands, sores) when exposed to contaminated blood?
Workshop Objectives
 Write correctly a variety of behavioral objectives
in all three educational domains.
 Rank objectives according to taxonomic level.
 Evaluate objectives as to their appropriateness and
clarity.
 Identify and describe key components in an
instructional unit.
 Correlate objectives with evaluation
methods/items.
 Defend the need for objectives, instructional
methods, learning activities and evaluation
methods to be inter-related.
Why?????
 NAACLS Essentials – Refer to your
notebook for actual excerpts from some of
the standards.
 Careers demand we stay current; staffing is
lean; must learn and teach others efficiently!
What is Education Methodology?
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Planning a Curriculum
Setting Goals
Listing Competencies
Writing Objectives
Developing Evaluations
Designing Learning Activities
Evaluating Student’s Performance
Evaluating the Program
Making Changes
Education Related Terms
(Definitions are in your notebook)
Teaching
Learning
Evaluation
(placement,formative,
summative)
Process
Evaluation
Outcomes
Evaluation
Curriculum
Goals
Objectives
Competencies
Goals vs. Competencies
 Description:
– General/broad
statements of purpose:
usually not stated in
behavioral terms.
 Example:
– The student will
become familiar with
the various cell
organelles
Description:
An acquired capability
stated in terms of a
composite behavior.
Example:
The student will perform
routine procedures,
employing common
techniques in the major
areas of anatomic
pathology.
A Model for Systematic
Instruction
An Instructional Unit Must
Answer These Questions…..
 Where am I?
 Where am I going?
 How am I going to get there?
 How do I know that I have arrived?
An Instructional Unit
 Pre-Test/Prerequisites
 Goals
 Objectives
 Learning Activities
 Evaluation
Effective Habits
Knowledge
Skills
Desire
Domains of Objectives
Cognitive
Psychomotor
Affective
Domains
 Cognitive
 Considerable Cognition
 Affective
 Considerable Feeling
 Psychomotor  Considerable Motor Activity
Rationale for Using Objectives
(For Student)
 Breaks topic into small manageable pieces.
 Provides guidelines.
 Easier to identify where the problems are.
 Students can evaluate own progress.
 Test time is less threatening.
(For Teacher)
 Help to focus on main topic.
 Easier to identify who is having problems.
 Easier to give feedback to students on areas
of difficulty.
 Help make tests.
 Help to set prerequisites.
 Help evaluate teaching effectiveness.
 Can review them from other courses to
better design or revise curriculum.
Components of an Objective
Action Verb Standards
Conditions Audience
observable how well
or
measurable
objective
used for
evaluation
limitations who is
learning
student’s
action
describes
situation/
materials
omitted if
omitted if
all the same obvious
written for
the learner
written to be
understood
(Objectives Continued….)
 Terminal Behavior (Action Verb)
– Examples: List, perform, justify, illustrate,
calculate, etc.
 Conditions or Givens
– Examples: Without reference, open book, given
equipment and supplies, etc.
 Standards or Criteria
– Examples: Accurately, according to established
procedure, within 95% confidence limits,
within 10% of predetermined result, etc.
Taxonomic Levels
(Each Domain has Hierarchy of Objectives)
 Each Domain has a progressive hierarchy of
learning categories from simple to complex
behaviors.
– Cognitive has 6 levels - page 14
– Psychomotor has 7 levels - page 17
– Affective has 5 levels - page 20
Revised Levels of Cognitive
Domain
 Level 1 - Recall or Knowledge
 Level 2 - Interpretive Skills/Application
 Level 3 - Problem Solving/Analysis
Examples of Cognitive Objectives
 Without reference, the student will define
the following terms correctly:…..
 Given a quality control chart, the student
will correctly interpret the status of the
control value.
 Without reference, the student will justify
the use or application of RDW, according to
established practice.
Revised Levels of Psychomotor
Domain
 Level 1 - Perception/Set
 Level 2 – Guided Response-
Mechanism-Complex Overt Response
 Level 3 - Adaptation/Organization
Examples of Psychomotor
Objectives
 Given the procedure and necessary supplies
etc, the student will prepare a blood smear
that meets the following criteria:
–
–
–
–
Fill majority of slide
No ridges, waves, holes etc.
Has a feathered edge
etc
(Examples Continued…)
 Given the following types of micro-
organisms….., the student will demonstrate
proper specimen collection, handling and
processing procedures, according to
established protocol.
 Given the necessary materials, the student
will develop an effective staffing plan for
weekend and midnight shifts without leaving
day shift short staffed.
Revised Levels of Affective
Domain
 Level 1 – Receiving/Responding
 Level 2 – Valuing
 Level 3 – Organization/Internalization
Examples of Affective Domain
 The student will comply with established safety
procedures in the specimen processing area.
 Given the professional code of ethics for laboratory
personnel, the student will defend the need for
demonstrating respect for others according to
conventional wisdom.
 The student will judge the relevancy of cleaning
and re-stocking practices for each department to
meet established safety standards and increase
efficiency.
Group Project on Objectives
 Pick a Topic
 Write a Goal Statement
 Write Objectives
– 2 cognitive (level 2 & 3)
– 2 psychomotor (level 2& 3)
– 2 affective (any 2 levels)
 Critique one another
 Return and Fix
 Present
Enabling Objective
 Without reference and according to the information
provided in your manual, the student will discuss
the significance of cell histograms. To do this the
student must:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
A. Define MPV
B. Correlate MPV values with the platelet count;
C. Interpret platelet histograms;
D. Justify use or application of RDW;
E. Interpret red cell histograms
F. Explain how leukocyte histograms are generated;
G. Explain the main uses of a leukocyte histogram
differential;
– H. Interpret potential interferences in histograms
Psychomotor Example:
Co-perform supervisory functions with section
head to include 3 of the following:
 Evaluate and correlate results
 Accurately; according to estab.
 Inventory and develop supply

order for section
 Participate in the sched. of staff

 Participate in necessary
documentation and compilation 
for accreditation/licensure
 Perform and evaluate proper

QA procedures

 Choose an accept. course of
action in response to various lab
crises; eg.: instr. malfunction,
changes in staffing patterns,
dramatic shift in work flow, QC
discrepancy, etc.
practices and accept. references..
Accurately: meets existing needs
and budget restrictions.
Adequately covers each shift with
approp. credentialed staff; satisfies
contract
According to lab. practice; meets
standards of regulatory agencies.
According to established practice
Appropriately; in consultation with
supervisor
Let’s Evaluate Some Objectives
 The student will understand the purpose of QC in
the clinical lab.
 The student will show initiative in the lab.
 The student will know the difference between
cellular and humoral immunity.
 To increase the student’s awareness of lab. safety
procedures.
 The student will appreciate the importance of
routine maintenance procedures in the chemistry
lab.
 To know how to write educational objectives.
WE LEARN….
 10% of what we read
 20% of what we hear
 30% of what we see
 50% of what we both see and hear
 70% of what is discussed with others
 80% of what we experience personally
 95% of what we teach someone else
• WM. Glasser
Instructional Methods
(or Learning Activities)
 Lecture
 Discussion/Conference
 Demonstration
 Simulation/Role Playing/Student Labs etc.
 Individual/ Self-Instruction/ CAI
 Problem-Based Learning
Group Exercise Continued…
Learning Tools
Are tools appropriate for goals?
What are the relative adv. and disadv.?
 Chalkboard
 Transparencies
 Pen & Paper
 Powerpoint
 Videotapes
 Kodachrome Slides
Evaluations
 Terms
– Criterion Referenced
– Norm Referenced
– Reliability
– Validity
– Placement
– Formative
– Summative
– Objective
– Subjective
 Purpose
– Determine
Qualifications
– Monitor Student
Progress
– Rank Students
– Provide Practice
– Check on your
instruction
Evaluation Instruments
 Rating Scales
 Checklists
 Anecdotal Records
 Critical Incident
 Practical Exams
 Multiple Choice
 True/False
 Matching
 Short Answer/Essay
Purpose of Evaluations
 Determine Qualifications (Pre-test)
 Monitor Student progress
 Rank Students
 Provide Practice
 Check on Instruction
Examinations
 Determine the objectives before and for the
test
 Test only to the objectives
 Use correct type of questions
 Consider the number of questions at each
taxonomy level
 Make a “blue print’
 Conduct timely for the material covered
 Give immediate feedback
Multiple Choice
 Structure
– Stems:
– Alternatives:
 Value
– Advantages:
•
•
•
•
Common
Good for cognitive esp.
Adaptable
Easily scored & objective
– Disadvantages:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Guessing
Time to construct
Many pages
More reading
Tend to be low level if not careful
Has clues
QC for Multiple Choice
Questions
 Overall
– Question relate to objective?
– Proper wording for
stem/alternative?
– Are alternatives possible or a
common misconception?
– Covers one problem only?
– Is answer really the best?
– Peer review?
Ex: Cognitive MC Test Questions
 Low Level
– Total hemolysis is called______hemolysis.
•
•
•
•
A. Alpha
B. Beta
C. Delta
Etc….
 Mid Level
– What volume of 95% alcohol would be needed to make
200ml. of a 70% solution?
• (enter choices)
 High Level
– Given the following lab data on a specimen, what test
would be recommended to rule out anemia?
• (enter choices)
Other Objective-Type Tests
(Always Relate to Objectives & Seek Peer Review)
Fillin/Short
Answer
Clear
wording
One
idea/fact
Clues?
5-7 ?
Point value?
Obvious?
Extra options
etc?
Arrangement
proper
Defined how
evaluated
Complex
learning
Teaching
in ?
Clues?
2 neg.
One correct
answer?
Graded
anonymously
Verbs
omitted?
Subjective-Type of Tests
Anecdotal and Critical Incident
 Anecdotal records the description of
observed behavior
 Critical Incident is similar but stresses only
critical points
 Advantages: Easy to develop form;
economic; precise feedback to students;
look at total behavior
 Disadvantages: Subjective; lack of
standardization; difficulty in scoring; time
consuming; limited application
Checklists and Rating Scales
 Checklists use a
prepared list of
performances that are
checked to indicate the
action or quality
 Rating scales use a set
of defined traits upon
which students are
judged
 MOST COMMON
Effects to Avoid if Possible
(Rating Scale Errors)
 Halo Effect
 Error of Personal Bias
 Contrast Error
 Proximity Error
 Rater’s Mood, Memory Error etc.
QC for Performance Evaluations
Correlation of Exams with
Objective Domains
Objective type
tests
Sometimes
practical exams
Anecdotal
Checklists
Critical Incident Practical Exams
Rating Scales
Review Lab
Results
Justification of Inter-relatedness
Between Objectives, Learning
Activities and Evaluations
It’s honest
Student and teacher are appropriately
accountable
It’s Fair
It validates our plan
 It’s effective