Challenges that nurse educators face include providing a large amount of complex material to the students in a short amount of time. Often this material is presented in lecture format which is not the most ideal method of teaching. As the nursing faculty shortage increases the nursing classroom size increases as well. The large class sizes do not facilitate personalized instruction and students can easily become lost. The students within the classroom are diverse and have different learning needs and learning styles. Successfully teaching this diverse population can be challenging for the most experienced nurse educator. Finally, nursing curricula needs are expanding and more complex to ensure the novice practitioner’s entry level education meets the standards set forth by the accrediting bodies
Learning is a complex process and not all learners assimilate the information presented in the same manner. Once the material is presented to the learner he/she is expected to take the material and apply it to other situations. The nursing classroom of most colleges/universities is quite diverse with students having different learning needs. Nursing educators need to be flexible and utilize a variety of teaching/learning strategies in the classroom to reach the greatest number of students. The nurse educator wants to engage the students, empower them, encourage learning and make the content intriguing. Nurse educators need to have an understanding of several educational principles to facilitate learning within the classroom. In addition these principles should be utilized in teaching strategies in order to have the greatest success. When providing material to the learner the nurse educator should incorporate the three domains of education, the cone of experience and educational learning styles to enhance the success of the nursing students.