Enhancing Student Engagement: Innovative Strategies for Intentional Learning

Abstract Aim This paper presents four innovative teaching modalities conceptually designed and adherent to National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) indicators. Background Nurse education has received ‘calls’ for transformation, demanding a pedagogical refocus that better equips the future workforce. A key aspect is the need to actively engage students in learning, an approach shown to improve outcomes. Method Four innovative teaching modalities were incorporated into a baccalaureate curriculum, aligned to the NSSE indicators, and targeted an area of the curriculum where active student participation had the potential to improve the learning experience. Results The four modalities: Theater of the Oppressed; Simulation as a Clinical Site for Active Engagement; Legal Simulation; and Creating Student Researchers were introduced at key stages in the curriculum and covered sophomore to senior levels. Conclusion NSSE can be utilized to provide a robust framework on which to plan and deliver educational opportunities that support meaningful, student-centered participation.