The Investigation of Preferred Learning Styles of Persons Living with Dementia

Summary of Research:

Dr. Debra Stewart

Understanding and gaining cooperation during personal care of a resident with dementia can be difficult especially when there are language barriers and cognitive deficits concerning comprehension of object and situation. When a caregiver such as certified nursing assistance attempts to help a resident with activities of daily living (ADLs), it can be difficult and time-consuming to accomplish even the simplest task because of the patient’s understanding of the process and the resistive behaviors that are often a result of confusion.

The learning styles inventory is an evaluative tool used by the participants in the study who are certified nursing assistants to establish the preferred learning styles of patients in their care. The study revealed important information concerning the determination of the preferred learning styles of persons with dementia. The research provided critical data in determining if ADLs, when designed around the learning styles, have a greater acceptance rate with fewer resistive behaviors. Also, the study was an essential addition to research concerning understanding a patient’s learning styles and presenting care based on that information to promote greater patient acceptance and nursing unit productivity.

Depending on the nursing assistant’s training the nursing assistant may use the same techniques of engagement for every resident in their care. The one-size-fits-all approach may not be appropriate for every resident and be a less than productive use of nursing assistants’ time. The research examined if knowing the preferred learning styles of persons living with dementia resulted in greater cooperation and unit productivity.

Biography:

Dr. Debra Stewart has completed her Ph.D. from the University of the Rockies and has worked in long-term care for over 25 years. She is an Advisory Board member for both the Mental Health Technology Program and the College for Lifelong Learning at Sinclair and is also a certified Vital Life Community Consultant through THW Design. She also serves as an online academic distant learning specialist for Hondros School of Nursing. Debra is a pre-approved instructor for NCCAP. Dr. Stewart’s most recent research titled Caregivers’ Attitudes and Beliefs about Pain Medication Administration was published in ProQuest.

Presenting author details
Full name: Dr. Debra Stewart
Twitter account: https://twitter.com/DebraSt36044546
Linked In account: linkedin.com/in/dr-debra-stewart-26b95022

Best Practices for Providing Effective Feedback

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Description: Our research involved creating training webinars for instructors to go over best practices for providing feedback and to highlight how to implement these best practices in ANT 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology. Instructors were also provided with a copy of Nancy Sommers’ book Responding to Student Writers, which we discussed in the context of ANT 101. Instructors were encouraged to audit their own grading feedback in order to implement best practices.

Written assignments make up the majority of points in most classes at Ashford. Instructors need to understand best practices for providing comments that students will understand and use. Ineffective commenting can overwhelm and de-motivate students. Students in general education classes often need extra help and attention.

Grades are often tied to self-esteem and a student’s sense of self (Crocker, 2002). Research shows that students want to receive a balance of encouraging and critical feedback (Turnitin, 2016). They want to hear both suggestions for improving upon weaknesses and also positive feedback on their strengths. It is helpful when instructors point out where students have met assignment criteria, rather than just where they have fallen short. Students shy away from feedback that includes personal evaluations of their ability; they prefer feedback that discusses issues in their work and includes advice on how to improve (Turnitin, 2016). Future-oriented comments are helpful and send the message that instructors see students as capable of improving (Weimar, 2012).

Good comments create connections and point out patterns (Sommers, 2013). Comments may identify connections to specific assignments, to earlier drafts, to patterns identified throughout the student’s work, or to comments/questions the student has raised earlier. In addition to pointing out specific areas for improvement, instructors should contextualize feedback and draw connections between other assignments and activities in the class. This context will help students to understand the purpose of the instructor’s comments and what to do with that feedback.

Crocker, J. (2002). The costs of seeking self-esteem. Journal of Social Issues, 58(3), 597-615.

Sommers, N. (2013). Responding to student writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Turnitin. (2016). From here to there: Students’ perceptions on feedback goals, barriers, and effectiveness [White paper]. Retrieved October 12, 2016 from http://go.turnitin.com/paper/student-feedback-goals-barriers?_ga=1.14838198.102505801.1458139745  

Weimer, M. (2012). Getting students to act on our feedback. Faculty Focus. Retrieved from:

http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/getting-students-to-act-on-our-feedback/

Bio: Dr. Bethany Heywood is lead faculty and an Assistant Professor in the Entry Point & Social Science department that is part of the Division of General Education at Ashford University. She earned her PhD in Anthropological Studies with a focus on the Cognitive Science of Religion from the Institute of Cognition and Culture at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland, and obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Religion from the University of Vermont. bethany.heywood@ashford.edu    

Dr. Emma K. Bate is part of the core faculty in the Entry Point & Social Science department that is part of the Division of General Education at Ashford University. She has a PhD and a Master of Arts in Anthropology from Indiana University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Wake Forest University. Since 1997, Dr. Bate has conducted archaeological fieldwork in The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Greece, and Indiana. She taught archaeology and physical anthropology at Indiana University, Butler University, and Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis (IUPUI) while in graduate school from 2000 to 2010. emma.bate@ashford.edu