Education for Health Professional Practice: Learning Theories Analysis

This report analyzes the application of learning theories in health professional practice, specifically focusing on cognitive and social cognitive theories. The report begins by explaining the importance of learning theories as guides for clinical training, emphasizing their role in effective teaching for n...Read More

Running head: EDUCATION FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
EDUCATION FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1EDUCATION FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
Learning theories act as a guide for the clinical training for nurses, clinical staffs and
doctors. The teachers by acquiring the knowledge can effectively teach an individual or a patient
depending on the situation. There are several theories associated with learning theories are social
cognitive learning theory, behavioral theory, constructive theory, social learning theory.
Understanding learning theory is a major part of the educational psychology, which helps the
teachers to provide the best possible learning environment. Theories of learning provide the
necessary structure and framework of teaching which is based on certain principles. The
educational psychologists examined the various findings from experiments and inferred that
learning theories are not only applicable to education but also when the different types of
learning theories are paired together can yield better learning experiences (Aliakbari et al., 2015).
The Type 1 diabetes is a condition where the body's own immune system destroys the
beta cells of the pancreas. Thus, the insulin production gets inhibited. Similar to the type 1
diabetes, the immune system does not damage the beta cells of the pancreas, instead, the insulin
production gets hampered due to disease and injury to the pancreas (Atkinson, Eisenbarth &
Michels, 2014).
The client here is a 45-year aged male, named Alex Chan. He is a master in science,
professionally a professor in a science college earning 5000 Singapore dollars. He is a quite
influential person in the community where he lives. Recently, Mr. Chen has been diagnosed with
Type 1 diabetes, for which he was provided with health education. Mr. Chan is an affluent
person was able to afford the costs of nursing service, hence Mr. Chan’s home was selected as a
teaching environment where an experienced nurse will provide him with the necessary diabetic
education.

2EDUCATION FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
According to Estes (2014), cognitive theory of learning focusses on the thinking,
organizing, understanding, and consciousness of an individual. This type of learning is not
dependent on the observation only, while it focusses more on the understanding and responding
capability of an individual. Fundamentalists say that the individual learner must be trained to
question and find solutions. Hence, by acquiring information and exploration, an individual will
be able to acquire knowledge. The learning procedure must include reviewing the past mistake
so that an individual will be able to learn from it. Perspectives of cognition were taken from
Gestalt theories of learning. It emphasized on an individual’s capability of organizing and
transforming the knowledge an individual received from general patterns. Gestalt believed that
the knowledge gained as a whole is much more beneficial that gained in smaller quantities
(Koffka, 2013). The cognitive theory includes four laws of understanding: continuity, similarity,
vicinity, relevance. The cognitive theory also explains the mental behavior which is influenced
by the extrinsic and intrinsic factors, thus enhancing the learning of an individual.
According to Stevens (2013), cognitive theories depend on the individual capacity of
learning. A person’s rational mind complements the amount of data that it accumulates and
processes. Often knowledge gathered from the surroundings by observation leaves a deep
impression on the minds of the learner. This learning and the knowledge helps the person to
tackle situations and that may arise in future.
Cognitive theory lays emphasis on an individual learning and understanding. While Mr. Chan is
professionally a science professor, this learning theory is appropriate for him as he possesses a
sound and rational mind. Type 1 diabetes affects the nerves and the blood vessels and therefore
is able to damage any body part. Although some organs are generally more affected by diabetes
like heart, eyes, kidneys. There are certain complications that arise after the incidence of

3EDUCATION FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
diabetes. Which include controlling the cholesterol and blood pressure. All these complications
can be avoided by guiding Mr. Chan to avoid smoking and drinking alcohol, having a healthy
diet, including a regular physical activity regime. These steps will help Mr. Chan to understand
the severity of diabetes. Mr. Chan’s understanding and perception will guide him to follow the
restrictions on the diet and smoking and drinking. Similar to the complications there are other
associated issues like the increased chances of stroke. The incidence of stroke is dependent on
high blood pressure and cholesterol; thus Mr. Chan's cognitive abilities will help him to monitor
his health complications arising due to the unhealthy diet. Therefore, it is essential that Mr. Chan
is given the right education that will help him to recover from diabetes.
Considering a different male patient (client) named Adrian Wang who is unemployed,
aged around 55 and lacking proper education, a different learning theory called the social
cognitive theory is applicable. The social cognitive theory works by enhancing the learning
ability of an individual by engaging him to acquire knowledge by observing other patients
suffering from a similar type of diseases. Often observing a patient following certain guidelines
and benefitting from it makes other patients realize that recovery is possible (Nutbeam, Harris &
Wise, 2010). Therefore, the conscious brain gains knowledge from its surroundings (extrinsic)
factors, personal (intrinsic) factors and behavioral factors. These three factors are interrelated
with each other, which causes the occurrence of learning (Bandura, 2009).
Therefore, to conclude from the above revelation, cognitive theory of learning stems from
an individual's way of perceiving ideas, gathering information, processing, and organization.
Cognitive learning is applicable to any field or discipline. Mr. Chan and Mr. Wang here depict a
contrasting picture. Mr. Chang gaining knowledge from his own understanding and knowledge
while Mr. Wang gains knowledge from others behavior and action.

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References
Aliakbari, F., Parvin, N., Heidari, M., & Haghani, F. (2015). Learning theories application in
nursing education. Journal of education and health promotion, 4.
Atkinson, M. A., Eisenbarth, G. S., & Michels, A. W. (2014). Type 1 diabetes. The
Lancet, 383(9911), 69-82.
Bandura, A. (2009). The social cognitive theory goes global.
Estes, W. K. (Ed.). (2014). Handbook of Learning and Cognitive Processes (Volume 4):
Attention and Memory. Psychology Press.
Koffka, K. (2013). Principles of Gestalt psychology (Vol. 44). Routledge.
Nutbeam, D., Harris, E., & Wise, W. (2010). Theory in a nutshell: a practical guide to health
promotion theories. McGraw-Hill.
Stevens, A. L. (2013). A cognitive theory of inquiry teaching. Instructional design theories and
models: An overview of their current status, 247.
Van Merriënboer, J. J., & Sweller, J. (2010). Cognitive load theory in health professional
education: design principles and strategies. Medical education, 44(1), 85-93.