Teaching methods
Methods & Approaches of
Health Education
8th -9th Lecture
2nd Semester 2024-2025
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Learning Objectives
• At the end of this lecture, each student will be able to:
• Compare all types of teaching methods.
• Explain techniques of each type.
• Discuss advantages of each type.
• List disadvantages of each type.
• State at least two examples of teaching methods.
• State at least two examples of teaching methods
selected for objectives’ domains.
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Introduction
✓ Teaching strategy or (instructional strategy):
• Is the overall plan for a learning experience.
✓ Teaching method or (instructional method):
• Is the way that the health educator uses to bring the
learner into contact with the content to be learned.
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Teaching methods
The broader techniques used to help learners achieve learning
outcomes, while activities are the different ways of implementing
these methods.
Teaching methods help students to:
•Master the content of the health education.
•Learn how to apply the content in particular contexts.
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Factor of selecting appropriate teaching methods
Various factors must be considered to ensure the chosen method
aligns with the educational goals, learners needs, and content
requirements:
1. Learning Objectives
2. Learners Characteristics
3. Subject Matter
4. Resources and Technology
5. Environment
6. Feedback and Assessment
7. Cultural Sensitivity
What are methods and media of teaching?
Traditionally‘ methods have been described as
'presentation form' such as lecture, discussion, etc.
Methods are procedures of instruction that are selected to help
the learners achieve the objectives or internalize the content.
On the other hand, media are carriers of information
between a source and a receiver.
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Individual Health Education:
Doctors and nurses, who are in direct contact with patients and their
relatives, have opportunities for much individual health education.
The topic selected should be relevant to the situation.
The biggest advantage of individual health teaching is that we
can discuss, argue and persuade the individual to change his
behaviour. The disadvantage is that the numbers we reach are
small.
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Individual Approach
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Group Health Education:
The groups are many – mothers, school children, patients, industrial
workers – to whom we can direct health teaching. The choice of
subject in group health teaching is very important; it must
relate directly to the interest of the group.
For instance,
Mothers may be taught about baby care;
School children about oral hygiene;
A group of TB patients about tuberculosis,
and Industrial workers about accidents.
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Methods of Group Teaching
One – way methods: Two-way Methods:
• Lecture • Group discussion
• Films • Panel Discussion
• Charts • Symposium
• Flannel graph • Workshop
• Exhibits • Role playing
• Flashcards • Demonstration
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One – way method
Lectures:
▪ Lectures are the most popular method of health teaching.
▪ In this, communication is mostly one-way, i.e., the people are
only passive listeners; there is no active participation on their
part in learning.
▪ Impressive and effective the lecture depends upon the
personality and reputation of the speaker.
▪ A lecture provides basic information on the subject, but it may
fail to change the health behaviour of the people.
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Techniques used to strengthen the effectiveness of
a lecture:
▪ Keep topics brief.
▪ Allow time for questions.
▪ Create instructional videos.
▪ Use visual cues.
▪ Promote handwritten notes.
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Two-way Methods:
1. Group Discussion:
Group discussion is considered a very effective method of health
teaching. It is a tow-way teaching method. Learners learn by
exchanging their views and experiences.
• To be effective, the group should comprise not less than 6, and not
more than 12 people.
• There should be a group leader who initiates the subject, helps
the discussion in the proper manner, prevents side-conversations,
encourages everyone to participate and sums up the discussion in the
end.
•The proceedings of the group discussion are recorded by a “recorder”,
who prepares a report on the subject and agreements reached.
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Advantages of Group Discussion
• Teaching people in groups rather than individually allows the
teacher to reach a number of learners at the same time.
• Learners are active participant.
• It picks up confusion and helps resolve difficulties.
Disadvantages of Group Discussion
• Increases the chances of getting off focus.
•Allows some participant to be dominant and others passive.
•Takes a lot of time.
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2. Role Play:
▪ Role Play or socio-drama is a particularly useful device for
putting up problems of human relationship.
▪ The group members enact the roles as they have observed or
experienced them, e.g. the expectant mother in an antenatal clinic,
the public health nurse on a home visit, etc.
▪ The size of the group should not be more than 25.
▪ Role play is followed by a discussion of the problem.
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3. Demonstrations:
▪ Practical demonstration is an important technique of the health
education, (how to perform a particular skill).
▪ Health educator show participants how a particular thing is done –
using a tooth-brush, bathing a child, feeding an infant, etc.
▪ A demonstration leaves a visual impression in the minds of the
people.
▪ Return demonstration: is the method by which the learner
attempts to perform the skill with cues from the teacher as needed.
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Advantages of Demonstration & Return Demonstration
• Activates many senses.
• Clarifies the why's of a principle.
• Commands interest.
• Correlates theory with practice.
• Allows health educator to see learning and diagnose the problem.
• Helps learner get well directed practice.
Disadvantages of Demonstration & Return Demonstration
• Takes a lot time.
• Does not cover all aspects of cognitive learning.
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4. Simulation
▪ Healthcare simulation is a range of activities that share a broad,
similar purpose – to improve the safety, effectiveness, and
efficiency of healthcare services.
▪ Simulation education is a bridge between classroom learning and
real-life clinical experience.
▪ Healthcare Simulations, or Clinical Simulations, create a safe,
controlled environment where healthcare workers can practice
needed skills and gain confidence without the fear of harming a
patient or delaying diagnosis and treatment to patients.
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Advantages of simulation
• Provide an element of realism.
• Active participation.
• Increase motivation & interests.
• Can provide opportunities for repetition of important skills.
Disadvantages of simulation
• Generally, are time- consuming.
• Can be expensive.
• Are often difficult to use with large groups.
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5. Field Trips
Advantages Disadvantages
• Very entertaining and • Usually require transportation
enjoyable. and can be costly.
• Put people in the context of • Can be very time- consuming.
their environment.
• Often have models and • Are unpredictable in outcome
materials not available because of uncertainty of
elsewhere. interaction.
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What are examples of field trips?
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6. Distance learning
• Is a telecommunications approach to instruction using video
technology to transmit live or taped messages directly from the
teacher to the viewers.
• It is becoming more popular as an instructional technique for staff
development, continuing education programs & student learning in
academic settings.
• Distance learning is made possible by network technology.
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Advantages of distance learning
• Gets information to a wide variety of people located at
great distance from one another.
• It is an ideal way to transmit current information
without incurring the cost & time in travelling needed to
meet face-to-face with the teacher.
• It advantageous for cognitive domain instruction.
Disadvantages of distance learning
• The teacher & learner are physically removed from
each other (no contact in person).
• The learners are passive.
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Mass Approach
Education of the general public(Mass Approach) :
▪ For the education of the general public, we employ “mass media
of communication’ – Posters, health magazines, films, radio,
television, health exhibitions and health museums.
▪ Mass media are generally less effective in changing human
behaviour than individual or group methods.
▪ But however, they are very useful in reaching large numbers of
people with whom otherwise there could be no contact.
▪ For effective health education mass media should be used in
combination with other methods.
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Mass Approach
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Mass Approach
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Differentiation between Teaching methods
Method Domain Learner role Health educator role
1. Lecture Cognitive Passive -Presents information
2. Group Cognitive Active – if - Guides & focuses
discussion & learner discussion
Affective participate
3. Demonstration Cognitive • Passive - Models skill or
& behaviour
Return Psychomotor • Active - Individualized
Demonstration feedback to refine
performance
4. Simulation Cognitive -Design environment.
Psychomotor Active -Facilitates process.
Affective
5.Distance Cognitive Passive -Presents information
learning -answer questions
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