Using a Learning Outcomes Approach to optimise the Learning and Teaching Experience in Clinical Nutr

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Using a Learning Outcomes Approach to optimise
the Learning and Teaching Experience in Clinical
Nutrition Máiréad Kiely, Department of Food and
Nutritional Sciences
Description of the Clinical Nutrition Module
(NT3001) The role of diet and nutrition in the
pathogenesis and management of non-communicable
diseases, including obesity, metabolic syndrome,
type 2-diabetes, gastrointestinal disease, food
allergy and cardiovascular disease is examined.
Laboratory, dietary and clinical methods used in
the nutritional assessment of individuals and
groups are practiced and evaluated. The dietary
management of selected inborn errors of
metabolism, nutritional support in cancer and
optimal nutrition for athletic performance is
introduced. Students are 3rd year BSc and H Dip
Nutritional Sciences. Module delivery by 24 class
sessions and 6 laboratory/practical sessions.
Assessment by a 1.5-hour exam (85, pass mark
40) and the laboratory notebook (15).
Rationale for redesigning NT3001 using the
learning outcomes approach     How do you
typically go about planning a module? Why do you
do it the way you do? How satisfied are you with
your approach? How successful is it for your
students learning? DAndrea (2000) Answering
these questions helped me to conclude that using
a learning outcomes approach to redesign the
Clinical Nutrition module might offer an
opportunity to improve the learning and teaching
experience. While students display a high level
of knowledge in assessments, there is scope for
improvement in their problem-solving, analytical
and evaluation skills. I know what I want to
teach, but it does not follow that they know what
they want to learn. If they knew what they
were learning from the beginning, they would know
if they were learning it!

• Learning objectives
• To achieve learning outcomes at high levels in
  the cognitive domain, including synthesis,
  analysis, application and evaluation, while
  retaining the proficiency already demonstrated in
  knowledge and understanding.
• Proposed Strategy
• Reach agreement with students on learning
  outcomes and their assessment at the start
• Use a variety of methods to help students with
  different learning styles to achieve learning
  outcomes

Two sample learning outcomes in Clinical
Nutrition and methods used to help students to
achieve them Suggest dimensions of interest in
assessing habitual physical activity in
individuals and groups Levels of knowledge,
comprehension and application will be achieved by
reading lecture notes (presented in MS
Powerpoint, using text, graphics and photographs
from fieldwork with frequent breaks for Q A and
discussion) and recommended texts students will
complete a physical activity questionnaire which
is used in epidemiological research data
obtained from the questionnaire will be
discussed, thus moving from surface learning to a
deeper approach by applying the theory to
practice. Formulate a complete nutritional
assessment of 200 adolescent schoolgirls to
evaluate their iron status and evaluate the
data Crosses the cognitive and affective domains,
requiring the use of multiple strands of
information obtained from lectures, case
histories and reading plus attending 4 practical
sessions involving laboratory and practical
skills training. Inclusion of relevant on-line
resources are also helpful to many students in
achieving these outcomes, particularly to
illustrate techniques that we cannot demonstrate
in the laboratory. Requesting a demonstration of
part of the nutritional assessment formulated
would require attainment of learning outcomes in
the psychomotor domain, achieved during the
practical sessions.
Reference DAndrea V-m (2000). Chapter 3.
Organising teaching and learning outcomes-based
planning. In A Handbook for Teaching and
Learning in Higher Education, Enhancing Academic
Practice. Fry H, Ketteridge S, Marshall S, Eds.
2nd edition 2003, Routledge Falmer, London and
New York.