DETERMINANTS OF LEARNING

1. Learning needs what the learner needs to learn; learning needs may be determined through informal
conversation or interviews, structured interviews, written pretests and observation.
Steps in the assessment of Learning Needs:
a. Identify the learner who is the learner? (individual? Or group?)
b. Choose the right setting establish a trusting environment
c. Collect data on the learner determine characteristic learning needs of the target population
d. Include learner as source of information allow learner to actively participate in identifying his
needs and problems
e. Include members of the healthcare team collaboration with other HCPs
f. Determine availability of educational resources must be appropriate, available, affordable,
easy and simple to manipulate
g. Consider time management issues
h. Prioritize needs may use Maslows Hierarchy of needs.

Criteria for Prioritizing Learning Needs

(Healthcare Education Association, 1985)
a. Mandatory must be immediately met since they are life threatening or are needed for
survival
Ex. Patient with recent history of recent heart attack must be taught signs & symptoms of an
impending attack and what emergency measures to take.
b. Desirable must be met to promote well-being and are not life-dependent
Ex. Importance of taking the full course of antibiotics for a patient with TB.
c. Possible nice to know which are not directly related to daily activities
Ex. An obese patient who has just lost weight because of diabetes may not necessarily need
information on tummy tucking.
2. Learning readiness time when the patient is willing to learn or is receptive to information
The best time to teach the learner is when the learner is ready which is known as the teachable
moment (that point in time when the learner is most receptive to a teaching situation. (Havighurst,
1976)
FOUR TYPES OF READINESS TO LEARN(PEEK)
A. P Physical Readiness
Includes:
1. Measures of ability strength, flexibility and endurance needed to learn.
2. Complexity of task the difficulty level of the task
3. Environmental effects environment conducive to learning
4. Health status is patient in good health or ill health? Does he have the energy to learn?
5. Gender men are less inclined to seek health consultation than women. Women are more
health conscious and receptive to medical care and health promotion teaching (Bertakis et al,
2000).
B. Emotional Readiness
Includes:
1. Anxiety level may or may not be a hindrance to learning.
2. Support system a strong support system gives patient increased sense of security and wellbeing; weak or absent support system elicits sense of insecurity, despair, frustration and a high
level of anxiety.
3. Motivation emotional readiness or willingness to learn
4. Risk-taking behaviour activities undertaking without much thought on the negative
consequences. Role of health educator is to develop awareness on how this behaviour can
shorten ones lifespan, how to minimize risk, etc.
5. Frame of mind depends on the priorities of the learner in terms of his needs.
6. Developmental stage determines peak time for readiness to learn or teachable moment
C. E Experiential Readiness
- refers to the previous learning experiences which may positively affect willingness to learn.
Includes:
1. Level of aspiration depends on the short-term and long-term goals the learner has set which
will influence his motivation to achieve.

2. Past coping mechanisms how was learner able to cope with previous problems and how
effective were their strategies?
3. Cultural Background consider language used; know the culture.
4. Locus of control motivation to learn which may be internal/intrinsic (within the individual) or
external/extrinsic (motivation to learn is influenced by others)
5. Orientation persons point of view which may be parochial (close-minded thinking,
conservative in their approach to new situations, less willing to learn new materials and have
great trust in the physician) or cosmopolitan (more worldly perspective and more receptive to
new or innovative ideas like the current trends and perspectivesin health education).
D. K Knowledge Readiness
Knowledge readiness refers to:
1. Present knowledge base stock knowledge
2. Cognitive ability lower level of learning
3. Learning style indicate how people learn in uniquely different ways
Some are global thinkers while some are analytic; Some learn better from auditory sources than visual
stimuli; Some learn better when with the group than independently alone.
PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING
1. Use several senses It has been shown that people retain 10% of what they read, 20% of what they
hear, 30% of what they see or watch, 50% of what they see and hear, 70% of what they say, and
90% of what they say and do.

2. Active Learner involvement actively involve the patients or the clients in the learning process. Use
more interactive methods involving the participation of the learners.
3. Conducive learning environment provide an environment conducive to learning. Always consider
the comfort and convenience of the learner.
4. Learning readiness assess the extent to which the learner is ready to learn. Readiness to learn is
affected by factors like emotional status (anxiety, fear and depression) and physical conditions
(pain, visual or auditory impairment, anesthesia)
5. Relevance of information determine the relevance of the information. Anything that is perceived
by the learner to be important or useful will be easier to learn and retain.
6. Repeat the information continuous repetition of information over a period of time enhances
learning; applying the information to a different situation and asking the learner to apply the
information to another situation or rewording it and giving practical applications will help in the
learning process.
7. Generalize information cite applications of the information. Give examples.
8. Make learning a pleasant experience give frequent encouragement, recognize accomplishments
and give positive feedback.
9. Be systematic present information in an organized manner and with information that the learner
already knows or familiar with.
10. Be steady present information at an appropriate rate. Mind your pacing.