Using evidence to identify teaching strategies to improve student competencies

Abstract

Background: Organizational assessment revealed opportunities to develop a critical mass of faculty educated about EBP and integrate competencies into practice. The faculty orientation online program did not include information about the EBP process, teaching strategies, or student competencies.

Purpose: The purpose of this EBP project was to investigate the best teaching strategies that foster student competencies.

Implementation plan: Based on the evidence, an online EBP module was developed including the best teaching strategies for instruction of EBP, the student competencies that must be mastered and teaching barriers that must be overcome. The results and implementation plan were presented to leaders and faculty Online Council for feedback, approval, and buy-in.

Outcomes: Twenty-five faculty completed the EBP online module over 1 year providing examples for teaching strategies that related EBP to clinical practice, teaching methods that engaged students and examples of assignments that promoted student competency.

Implications for practice: Using evidence to develop an EBP module for faculty orientation to online teaching provided a cost-effective way to develop a critical mass of faculty educated in EBP teaching strategies and methods that foster student competencies.

Keywords: cost effective critical mass of EBP faculty; evidence‐based practice; evidence‐based teaching strategies; faculty online orientation; student competencies; teaching methods.