Introduction

System Variables

• Nursing Profession
• Agencies
• Accrediting Bodies

• Preferred Model
• Learning Theory
• Teaching Style
  

• Readiness
• Learning Style
  

Part 2:  The Seven Steps of Planning --Plus One

Weekly Assignment 1
Evaluating Learning

Weekly Assignment 2
Analyzing Experiences

Feedback

Teaching style is another variable influencing the character and effectiveness of teaching-learning interactions. As was the case with the use of models and learning theory, most teachers don't have a narrow, static style that they use in every situation. Rather, most have a preferred style, but adapt as other variables in the situation change.

One way to describe teaching style is to look at it as having two dimensions, formality and structure, each of which can be viewed as a continuum.

Formality is defined as amount of psychosocial distance between the teacher and the learner. It includes the extent to which the teacher is the expert and the degree of control exerted by the teacher.

Structure is defined as the amount of structure in the teaching learning interaction, that is, the degree to which the environment and activities are structured.

The two dimensions, structure and formality can be used to form a graph.. The structure continuum runs along the X axis; the formality continuum runs along the Y axis. Each quadrant  represents one of four teaching styles: 

• High Formailty/ Low Structure (HF/LS)
• High Formality/High Structure (HF/HS)
• Low Formality/Low Structure (LF/LS)
• Low Formality/High Structure (LF/HS)

The dots scattered around the graph show that a person's style can fall at any point on the graph, so some people might have a strong preference for a "pure" style such as High Formality Low Structure, while others might be "on the border" between two or more styles.  While many of us may be most comfortable at the points within one quadrant, others may be able to feel comfortable in two or more quadrants, depending on the situation.  As noted earlier, most of us have a preferred style, but can move around the graph to adjust to the demands of different situations.

Thinking about teaching style in your practice ... Use the graph to identify your preferred teaching style. Do you use the same style in most or all situations? When does your preferred teaching style feel most comfortable and effective? Least comfortable and effective? Which dimension(s) are you willing to adjust to accommodate different situations? That is, where else on the graph can you feel comfortable? If you're uncomfortable about making any adjustments in your teaching style, what might you do to become more comfortable?