Venngage is an infographic design platform used to convert processes and data into more accessible and engaging content. It’s a reliable program that empowers users to easily create charts, infographics, and graphs by providing a wide array of features. Example of such features is a drag-and-drop interface, free-form design canvas, customizable themes and templates, icon, clipart, and others. Moreover, Venngage is primarily easy to use, simple, and easy to configure. It’s a solution that can be utilized by both beginners and veteran designers.
It’s also an ideal solution for marketers that want to create powerful visual content without having to spend so much. Venngage comes with a free version that’s ideal for beginners. Paid plans, on the other hand, are better suited for organizations and businesses. Every plan is flexible when it comes to terms of payments, providing users with the option for yearly, quarterly, or monthly subscription.
How it can be used for instruction in the classroom
The teacher can use this tool to create interactive lessons, assess students on the fly, and see data and students responses in real-time. Whether students collect their own data or they have collected it from other sources, being able to visualize their data in an infographic is a highly useful skills. For example, students can use this tool to present data they collected for their project in a modern and sophisticated way that grabs the attention of the viewers. Additionally, students are more engaged when they can ask questions and receive feedback at any time. Infographic appeals to both visual learners and textual learn.
Benefits of Venngage
Highly Customizable Design Templates Venngage is lined with a large number of infographic design templates that enable even the beginners to add a visually compelling touch to their contents. The user interface also makes this feature shine brighter compared to other template repository applications. The interface is equipped with every tool needed for editing practically all aspects of the templates. From size, content, opacity, text, to color, etc. users are sure to find a tool for them.
Cost-Effective One of the major burdens of non-designer individuals or businesses is hiring professional to get their projects done. With Venngage, users are given a cost-effective solution for generating visually appealing designs thanks to how easy it is to operate. There would be no need to spend tons of cash to add a stunning touch to their contents. The system makes the entire process easier and it even provides users with total control over all their projects. This allows them to publish the ideas they have the way they want to.
Branding Features Seasoned users can utilize the system’s backend to stipulate various brand parameters. They can preinstall their company’s logo into the published graphics as well as color, typeface, and taglines. All the said aspects can be used at the start of each creative process too, ensuring that all published contents are customized and branded.
Support for Sharing Finished Projects With Venngage, users can seamlessly share their works on social media. It also allows publishing and embedding of finished projects on blogs or websites easily. Infographics, on the other hand, can be downloaded as an image or a pdf file.
Limitations of Venngage
Users can't export the infographic work in the free trial. The collaboration feature only exists in premium Some complaints about the repeated style of templates.
References
1. McGuire S. 15 technology tools to engage students in the classroom [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Jul 18]. Available from: https://www.teachthought.com/technology/technology-tools-to-engage-students/
2. Venngage Review: Pricing, pros, cons & features [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Jul 18]. Available from: https://comparecamp.com/venngage-review-pricing-pros-cons-features/
3. Mae A. Brief review of venngage with the Venngage Alternative [Internet]. Aiseesoft; 2022 [cited 2023 Jul 18]. Available from: https://www.aiseesoft.com/resource/venngage-reviews.html
Blended/ online instruction has between 30 and 80 percent of the course content is delivered online with some face to face interaction. Blended and online courses not only alter how content is delivered, but they also reshape traditional educational roles and offer new avenues for learning. However, whether teaching is done in person, online, or through blended learning, the primary goals remain student involvement and the learning experience.
Finding the right technology is critical for engaging students in the blended learning model. However, with many education apps available to instructors selecting the right technology tools can be difficult. The good news is it does not have to be that way. Finding the right digital tool is about the pedagogy behind it, not technology itself. The following are some approaches to successfully selecting and and integrating the right technology into teaching:
First define your pedagogic approach
The first step to in identifying effective digital tools that improve learning is to define the institution's pedagogical approach as well as its teaching and learning strategy. For example in a blended learning model, students go through different stages of learning, beginning with knowledge, acquisition and progressing to investigative inquiry, practical application and production of knowledge. Collaborative learning is essential throughout the three stages for developing an online social learning community. The second building block is to create the space or virtual learning environment (VLE) where the community can interact and collaborate.
Platforms that support a consistent learning experience
Curriculum mapping and resource sharing have long been used in VLEs such as Moodle, Blackboard and Canvas in blended learning. Moodle can also be used to map students learning journey, thus facilitating all stages of learning in a collaborative environment. A good VLE should include features that promote the central role of the student as an active learner involved in knowledge co-creation through collaboration, discussion, and production. It should facilitate communication and interaction between students, their peers and their tutors beyond the boundaries of the classroom. One such communication tool and key feature of VLEs is discussion forums.
Discussion Forums
Discussion forums provide educators with the opportunity to move from knowledge creators to knowledge facilitators. Students engage in collaborative learning through online debates. The opportunity to engage in discussions flexibly is central to overcoming time and location limitations as well as students' varying pace and learning styles, thus addressing the diverse needs of students.
Video recording apps for flip classroom
In a blended learning environment, flipped classrooms and asynchronous teaching are excellent ways to make the most of synchronous teaching time. Video recording apps such as Panopto, Kaltura, Screen-O-Matic and Opencast are effective tools to support the first phase of a blended learning model, namely knowledge acquisition. Delivering asynchronous lectures using video recordings enables our students to learn in a self-paced and more focused environment. For example, students can easily navigate the content of the video using the content and video-captioning tools; the latter, in particular, increase the accessibility of our content, supporting our diversity and inclusion values.
Webinar Platform for Synchronous Learning
The learning phase "share" and "apply" focuses on students' application of knowledge through cooperative learning. Web-conferencing software is an effective tool to support this learning phase online, replicating students' interactions and experience in the classroom. There are many webinar learning tools, such as Zoom, Blackboard Collaborate Ultra and Microsoft Teams, with similar features like screen-sharing, voting polls, whiteboards and breakout rooms.
To be effective, it is important that students have engaged in flipped learning and completed activities before the synchronous session. Students can then practice problem-based learning in and completed activities before the synchronous session. Students can practice problem-based learning in breakout groups and prepare a presentation to share with their peers or engage in an online debate.
To summarize, remote learning does not have to be tedious. There are numerous creative tools available online to support active learning and meaningful student engagement. The key is ensuring that pedagogical considerations guide the selection of the tools.
References
1. Smith B, Brame C. Blended and Online Learning | Center for Teaching | Vanderbilt . [Internet]. Center for teaching. [cited 2023Jun.28]. Available from: https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blended-and-online-learning/
2. Gibson M. Tech tools to help enhance online and blended learning | THE . [Internet]. Resources for academics and university staff. [cited 2023Jun.28]. Available from: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/tech-tools-help-enhance-online-and-blended-learning
Nursing education appears to be headed in a different direction than in the past. Various changes in the healthcare system and the advent of technology, demands that the nursing curriculum be updated in order to adapt to these changes and to adequately educate students to succeed in the nursing profession. As nursing education becomes more diverse in approaches to learning, additional pressure and demands are exerted on academic faculty and clinicians to positively adopt and integrate new technological methods into their teaching portfolios. Nurse educators at times may encounter some challenges in meeting the demands that come with educating a diverse class of students.
Challenges Nursing Educators Face in the 21st Century
One significant development in nursing education today is a shift in student and educator role. Students are more actively engaged in their own learning and the teacher is more of a facilitator than a lecturer. The lecturer is responsible for implementing student-centered teaching practice, and students are held accountable for coming to class prepared and ready to participate in class activities. The educator must utilize a variety of teaching methods or strategies to cater to the diversity of learning styles of all students.
Secondly, rapid technological change continues to be a difficult issue for curriculum development procedures. Most nurse educators, who are much older and are unable to quickly adjust to the rapid technology dynamics, may be unable to align the curriculum with the tech-savvy students. As a result, new technology has not been implemented adequately in the learning environment. This situation can potentially result in a mismatch between the nurse graduate and the professional requirements, as the healthcare system is embracing Electronic Health Record systems.
By educators integrating existing and emerging technological tools into their
teaching methods, they can help students to develop essential 21st-century
skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and information literacy. In fact, teachers
and students become collaborators in learning as technology evolves. Pedagogical
technology is constantly introducing new models and resources to expand linear,
text-based learning and engage students with a variety of learning preferences and
experiences.
As technology continues to evolve, however, educators who wish to
integrate it must acquire updated competencies and learning strategies. Furthermore, rather than depending mainly on exams to assess students learning, a greater emphasis can be placed on adopting additional evaluation tools that will supplement exams. These strategies will be used for formative and summative evaluation, measuring learning to new depths.
Finally, it can be difficult for nurse educators to work with students from varied cultural backgrounds. Some measures can be used to effectively assist multicultural students in avoiding cultural alienation. One measure that educators can implement is having guest lecturers from diverse cultures to provide insight into the various healthcare perspectives. This approach creates a feeling of respect for minority groups. Additionally, nurse educators can employ gaming, simulation, and role play as techniques to increase student participation, particularly minority groups. It also promotes understanding of cultural diversity among the students. Incorporating cultural information can improve learning and fostering discussion about cultural differences. Researchers confirm that students get interested when discussing their cultural heritage, which other students are curious about.
Effectively Addressing Challenges in the Learning Environment
Understanding learners is an important component of quality teaching. Nurse educators need an understanding of the varied attributes of nursing students, which can affect their learning process and outcomes. Students' culture and ethnicity, their learning style preferences, age, gender, motivation, and abilities are characteristics that can influence their learning and teaching approaches.
Having an understanding of their students, the teacher then identifies the objectives and criteria for the learning module. This statement describes what the learners will be able to perform as a result of the training. The SMART technique, a form of objective setting, can be used to set objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This means that the teacher should be able to predict exactly what skills and knowledge the learners will acquire during a certain period. Furthermore, students should be aware of the objectives and what they are expected to learn.
Next, the instruction methods that will be used to deliver the content should be decided. This phase includes planning the lesson ensuring that the information gathered from the analysis of students is considered to guide the way the content will be delivered to them. For example, adult students have numerous attributes that are quite different from younger students. The main attributes of adult learning encompass purposeful, goal-oriented activities. Adult students get actively involved in the learning process as opposed to pedagogical involvement that is passive.
Additionally, if lessons are more instructor-led, choosing lectures, presentations, and other demonstrations are ideal options. On the other hand, if they are more learner-centered, the teacher should opt for group discussions and group activities. Once that is figured out, the teacher must choose the technology that will facilitate the teaching method.
It is then time to think about how to use the methods. More precisely, the technology and other materials should be reviewed and prepared to ensure that they will work smoothly during the lectures. Instructors should also determine how to actively engage learners in the teaching process. For instance, the teacher can establish mandatory participation in class discussions or ask them to guide the lesson themselves by asking questions or presenting themes for further analysis.
In this final step, the teacher has to decide whether your material is effective and make revisions if necessary. Evaluation of teaching strategies, the media, the technology used, and how they were implemented. Also, you should determine if the lessons and learners met the objectives and if the overall experience catered to their individual needs. Feedback from your learners is important in this step to help you with your analysis. Students can be given surveys on how the lesson has impacted them, whether they are satisfied with the experience, and if they have achieved their personal goals. Feedback should also be given on their performance.
The nurse educator also has the role of developing a supportive learning environment along with the use of various teaching methods as previously mentioned. Teaching takes place in formal and informal settings as part of personal and professional roles. A teacher may be working alongside a student caring for a patient in
a health setting, organizing group work in a classroom, facilitating a reflection session after a high-fidelity simulation, leading a discussion via webinar, or responding to learners asynchronously. Innovations such as distance technologies provide
more flexible options for both learners and teachers. Encouraging a positive class climate and respectful interactions among peers promotes the development of an effective environment for learning.
Reference
1. Roberts M. Week 5: Role of the nurse educator in the 21st Century [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jun 21]. Available from: https://michelleeroberts.weebly.com/week-5-role-of-the-nurse-educator-in-the-21st-century.html
2. Challenges for the nurse educator in the 21st Century: Healthcare essay example [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jun 21]. Available from: https://assignology.com/challenges-for-the-nurse-educator-in-the-21st-century/
3. Pappas C. How can you use the assure instructional design model in Elearning? [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Jun 21]. Available from: https://elearningindustry.com/how-can-you-use-the-assure-instructional-design-model-in-elearning
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Teaching in Nursing and role of the Educator. The complete guide to Best
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Learning delivery is the means by which you communicate knowledge to learners. This implies that you need to use certain technologies, resources, and facilities to deliver the intended learning experience and meet specific goals.
Similarities of face to face, online and blended learning
1. They all require time and effort
2. Giving and receiving feedback is critical
3. Difficulties and rewards are the same
Differences of face to face, online and blended learning
1. The environment
2. Feedback can be slower in the online setting than that of the face to face setting
3. Students have the ability to access class content before the class in online learning
Strengths of Online Learning
It is more cost effective- Online learning does not require in-person training, so you save cost on travel and related expenses.
It is easier to scale- You no longer need to consider how many people you can fit into a room.
It is available anywhere an internet connection is available and anytime.
Weaknesses of Online Learning
Difficult for students to stay motivated
Technical difficulties
Students can feel isolated
Strengths of Face to Face Learning
Teachers can observe facial and body language
Students can interact with their peers
Less distractions
Weaknesses of Face to Face Learning
Scheduling classes can be difficult
Organizing and managerial cost
Lack of flexibility as learners and teachers must be present at the same time and place
Strengths of Blended Learning
Offers an interactive way to learn
Students learn at their own pace
A fun way to learn
Weaknesses of Blended Learning
Must have basic technology knowledge
Plagiarism and credibility issues
Lack of motivation
Online and blended learning are more flexible than face to face learning and generally more practical for learners. However, a lot of learners still prefer the presence of a live instructor to assimilate content better. Face to Face, online and blended learning methods all have their own set of unique advantages and disadvantages. It really depends on an individual's learning style and preference as well as the course material. While a lot of learners prefer the traditional face to face setting because of the discipline and familiarity associated with it, there is no denying the immense benefits of online and blended learning.
References
1. Online learning vs. face-to-face learning: Which is best? [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Jun 7]. Available from: https://whatfix.com/blog/online-learning-vs-face-to-face-learning/
2. Corporation GS. Blended learning vs Elearning and face-to-face training [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Jun 7]. Available from: https://www.gpstrategies.com/blog/blended-learning-vs-elearning-and-face-to-face-training/
3. Delivery modes for learning [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Jun 7]. Available from: https://federation.edu.au/staff/learning-and-teaching/teaching-practice/learning/delivery-modes-for-learning
4. Priscilahttps://www.easy-lms.com/index.php?r=content%2Fcontent%2Fabout-us%2Fwho-we-are W by. Priscila [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2023 Jun 7]. Available from: https://www.easy-lms.com/knowledge-center/e-learning/blended-learning-advantages/item10386
