Evidence-informed strategies for undergraduate nutrition education: a review

Abstract

This review focuses on evidence-informed strategies to enhance learning in undergraduate nutrition education. Here, we describe the general shift in undergraduate education from a teacher-centered model of teaching to a student-centered model and present approaches that have been proposed to address the challenges associated with this shift. We further discuss case-based, project-based, and community-based learning, patient simulation, and virtual clinical trials as educational strategies to improve students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills; these strategies are well suited to the teaching of undergraduate nutrition. The strategies are defined, and we discuss the potential benefits to students and how they can be applied specifically to the teaching of undergraduate nutrition. Finally, we provide a critical analysis of the limitations associated with these techniques and propose several directions for future research, including research methodologies that may best evaluate teaching strategies in terms of both teaching and learning outcomes. Consideration of these evidence-informed strategies is warranted, given their ability to encourage students to develop relevant skills that will facilitate their transition beyond the university classroom.

An Investigation of the Pedagogical Impact of Using Case-based Learning in a Undergraduate Biochemistry Course

“…Several active learning strategies have been proposed across science disciplines to address these pedagogical challenges, for example the use of internships, meaningful research experiences, independent or self-assigned study, concept maps and knowledge translation exercises (Robitaille, 2011;Newton, Bettger, Buchholz, Kulak, & Racey, 2015). In general terms, active learning derives from constructivist and other contemporary cognitive evidence indicating that experiences and contextualization promote knowledge construction and the retention of information (Ward, 2011;Eberlein et al, 2008;Tiwari et al, 2006).…”

Mixed-mode instruction using active learning in small teams improves generic problem-solving skills of university students

“…In various academic publications (Greiff, Holt, and Funke 2013;He et al 2018;Newton et al 2015;Simper et al 2018), problem-solving skills and critical thinking are consistently listed among the top most desirable soft skills. Remarkably, the highest percentage (60%) of employers responding to a survey listed PSS as lacking in recent university graduates (PayScale 2016).…”

“…With regard to strategies that are effective in advancing generic PSS, available evidence supports use of several different active learning approaches, as well as collaborative teamwork, to foster this skill set (Chetty 2014;He et al 2018;Klegeris et al 2013;Lian and He 2013;Montrezor 2016;Newton et al 2015). It has also been argued that course content delivery based on a mainly didactic lecturecentred approach does not improve students' PSS (He et al 2018;Klegeris et al 2013Klegeris et al , 2017Lian and He 2013).…”

Use of a Scaffolded Case Study Assignment to Enhance Students’ Scientific Literacy Skills in Undergraduate Nutritional Science Education: Comparison between Traditional Lecture and Distance Education Course Formats

“…Typical expectations upon completion of undergraduate degrees in nutritional science, and more broadly in biological sciences, require graduates to exhibit the ability to work collaboratively and possess critical thinking and problem-solving skills, thereby requiring undergraduate teaching strategies that reflect and maximize these competencies while concomitantly solidifying the requisite knowledge base (Newton, Bettger, Buchholz, Kulak, & Racey, 2015). Case-based learning (CBL) is a type of educational strategy that has been shown to promote the development of the aforementioned skills in undergraduate nutrition education (Davies, 2004;Harman et al, 2014;Johnson, Herd, Andrewartha, Jones, & Malcolm, 2002), and therefore, requires a higher level of student engagement that is commonly associated with a deep learning approach (Biggs, Kember, & Leung, 2001;Ramsden, 1984;Tiwari et al, 2005).…”

“…Typically CBL presents material on a need-to-know basis, allowing students to become researchers and gather further information to solve the case, identify key concepts, integrate content, and make informed assessments to determine the best solutions to a problem (i.e. the presented case) (Savery, 2006), all of which are skills that translate well beyond the classroom (Newton et al, 2015) and therefore, require and/or build scientific literacy (SL) capabilities. SL is recognized as a critical component of science education, however, it is a generalized term whose definition has no clear consensus [reviewed elsewhere (De Boer, 2000;Laugksch, 2000;Norris & Phillips, 2003)].…”