Nursing instructor that reads powerpoint word for word

geanna · Jun 24, 2009

I have also had power point readers as teachers. I agree with Cashboy's mom who suggests that you find your learning style. My instructors used to get upset with me because I am a tactile learner. If I write it down I remember it. They would get upset because I would write notes down. they would say that I was wasting my time because I was writing down the same thing as the power point. I also made them angry because I did not buy any text books. I looked stuff up that I didn't understand and took great notes. And I got a high B. The first year I had power point reader, after she came down on me for taking notes I asked her if I could knit---yes, knit. The act of keeping your hands busy while you listen frees your mind to hear what they are saying. This was taught to me buy an occupational therapist for children with learning disabilities. Be sure to ask first. Otherwise they can get really, really offended. Sounds crazy but it works. That semester was all A's for me. Best of luck. And remember, this too shall pass and then you can get on with the next stage of your life.

gailp104 · Jun 24, 2009

Sad situation, but not all educators can educate!! I have taught where the curriculum was given to me and I was unfamiliar with it and I have designed my own curriculum to meet the goals of the program. The secret is that one has to WNAT to educate our future nurses! If one does not know the material, one needs to learn before teaching. Sadly, not all educators feel this way and many think teaching is a "cushy job" and a piece of cake. You need to learn it for yourself, seek out other nurses to assist you in understanding the information and realize you can't worry about other students, you have to care for YOU if you want to pass this class. And pray for a different indtructor next course. I would also suggest a meeting with the dean AFTER you complete this class to share you concerns. :nurse: Faculty do not usually sit in on other faculty's sessions, so very possibly no one is really aware of this instructor's lack of skills.

spenmom · Jun 24, 2009

To the original poster, I completely feel your pain/frustration/irritation. I have had instructors throughout nursing school do this, and even worse, take PowerPoints that came with the textbooks, change nothing, and actually put their names on them on the first slide (then lecture us ad infinitum about plagiarism, cheating, professionalism, etc).

Truthfully, my experience in nursing school has been that there are great instructors but they are few and far between, and those that are really good, use PPT minimally. Really, it is the WORST instructing tool ever, if that is all you are using. It's fine to use as a guide, then to add to with your own words in lecture, but how often does that happen? I know I try to do that when I have to do presentations (I'm in my senior year), but I notice that I am one of the few.

As far as getting something out of lecture, if you're like most of us, you will be mostly self-taught by using whatever resources your textbook provides, like CDs with chapter review NCLEX style questions, or website access with similar things (again, from your textbooks). Please take advantage of those resources, as well as study groups with like-minded people, because you will find that it is your own initiative that pulls you through nursing school, you are mostly self-taught, and you will rely on each other to get through, not through the mostly nice but not-meant-to-be teachers who are in that position because they don't want to work as nurses anymore (usually true, in my experience, although I would love to teach...give out information and get paid?? Who wouldn't want to do that? But, I'm in the minority, I know).

At the very least, let your voice be heard by filling out your course evaluation sheets fully, pointing out each and every thing that needs to change. I know in our class it helped, and now senior year we have none of the really S*&% professors. And, if you feel really strongly about it, you can always go as a group to the dean.

Hang in there, you'll get through it. Remember, though, lots of times when you ask the instructor a question, and you don't get a satisfactory answer, it could be because they themselves either don't know or don't remember the answer. Keep your eye on the NCLEX, and keep your focus on studying those questions!!

Much luck to you, you'll make it--If I can in my extremely dysfunctional school, anyone can!! :up:

terisinwa · Jun 24, 2009

okay - just a thought here... but aren't you paying for a class and for instruction to take place? i understand everyone's allowing for tight limitations in guidelines with the school, but reading the sentence one more time and then asking "do you understand now" doesn't sound like instruction. you are more than likely paying a pretty penny (or will be with interest) for this class and, while the responsibility to learn is on you, the responsibility to impart the information so the class Can learn is on the instructor. stand up for yourself in your education - if you feel comfortable and have a specific example or question, try to meet with her outside of class. if that doesn't seem like a viable option, meet with your advisor and ask for help, explaining that the entire class is having issues. if you have to go figure out the class on your own, why should you pay for it?

yes, we need to be responsible students and take ownership of our education - i believe this includes holding instructors responsible for informational information!

good luck to you!!

lpnornot · Jun 25, 2009

I couldnt agree with you more about disliking powerpoint. Too many professors use it to cover what they have to teach w/o being able to explain the material themselves. I had one prof, wiht a master in education, who it seemed took notes on a topic and just posted them on the powerpoint mistakes and all-they were badly organized, almost incoherant at times and sometimes in accurate. And when I asked for explanations on a deeper psysiological level she wasnt always able to explain. I went often back to my A and P book or a the pathopysiol book. A masters level pathopsy might have helped cus ours wasnt too great.

Be that as it may its important to learn the material the best you can in as short a time a possible and dont spend too much time dwelling on her inadequacies or loosing any morale, fortitude or positive attitude which you will need in spades. Write an anonymous note to maybe help you and your classmates and those in the future and dont expect it to do any good, unfortunately.

best of luck.

Wishinonastar, BSN · Jun 25, 2009

I have found that this is pretty common in college for several reasons. First, to teach in higher education you don't necessarily have to have a degree in education. Have you ever taught a class? It is hard to do! Lots of people who teach did not study teaching. They are experts in their field, not in teaching. Second, sometimes students are poorly prepared for higher education and they do not know how to take notes. To help them focus sometimes teachers will use Powerpoint slides with what is important to know on it. That way it is easy for the students. Third, the teacher may be new and she is still working through the material herself. Believe me, sometimes you have little time to prepare and if you have not taught the course before, or are still new to teaching it helps you feel more confident to have concrete things to refer to for lectures. I have taught before also and it is rough. Nursing is easier.

lowypop · Jun 25, 2009

ours did the same, apart from she did it r-e-a-l-l-y- s--l--o--w,, to top it off, she would stop halfway through 1 sentence try to explain it, and then coz she couldnt, she would just go "um,ah, um.." and then start the next sentence!! ***??? we had already had this lecture half an hour before to make it even worse!! needless to say majority of us failed in our assignments, but after PROPER tutorials from our markers, we all passed in the end!!

my point is, go to your tutor, and ask if they could shed any light on what it is, see if they have any books that are useful, and see if there are any other lecturers in the uni that teach that subject, and ak for a private tutorial!! its the only way i did it!

Good luck! x

Bahrain · Jun 25, 2009

I think it's better to read the textbook or go to her after the lecture with the questions you have in a group of students, or email her asking her more explanation.

We ask the lecturer to give as example with explanation if we didn't understand, some will give us good explanation and some will not. We go to the library and read books and choose the best to read for another lecture.

Good luck

kselzler · Jun 25, 2009

This was exactly my situation and it took me almost the whole semester to figure out how to teach myself the information. The best advice I can give you is READ the chapters. Read ANYTHING you can find on the topic, if you're having trouble with one, and even go to YouTube and try and find a video explaining an aspect of it. I am a very visual learner, so when it came to learning about ostomys, the best thing for me was to look up a video on it. I hope this helps!

edowhitetop · Jun 26, 2009

Anyone hired as an instructor has an obligation to instruct. The administration needs to be made aware that this is not happening in this class. Nice lady or not, she needs to take classes in how to teach or get out. Her responding to questions by merely repeating what was said before is particularly illustrative of her failure as a teacher. A good teacher will rephrase what was said, looking for a breakthrough in communication - the "Oh, now I get it!"

metal_m0nk, BSN, RN · Jun 26, 2009

Power point is such an over used medium.
They use it for inservices and continuing ed too and people just read it off. Then they hand out a print out of their power point with boxes on it, each with what they just went over, which is an incredible waste of paper...

Not only a waste of paper, but a waste of tuition

If I could earn a cert. by buying the textbooks, and studying quietly in the privacy of my own home...close to the refrigerator and the bathroom...and not have to drop thousands of tuition dollars for exclusive access to incompetent or uninspired instructors, you bet I'd do it.

ZanatuBelmont · Jun 26, 2009

Not only a waste of paper, but a waste of tuition
If I could earn a cert. by buying the textbooks, and studying quietly in the privacy of my own home...close to the refrigerator and the bathroom...and not have to drop thousands of tuition dollars for exclusive access to incompetent or uninspired instructors, you bet I'd do it.

Until salaries balance out between a RN educator and a RN floor nurse, we are probably stuck with "average Joe's" teaching the next generations of nurses. =( I had an instructor last semester who really had no business being an instructor, she couldn't tell you which end the crap came out of!