Use of storyboards as an active learning strategy in pharmacy and nursing education

Abstract

Background

Storyboarding has been used as an educational approach that allows students to work together to learn, organize, and prioritize information and experiences.

Methods

Storyboarding was used as an assignment for students enrolled in pharmacy and nursing classes to help bridge the theory-to-practice gap in learning. Groups of students used theory about an assigned concept to analyze patient stories from their own clinical experience or from interviews with practicing professionals. Each group presented its analysis to classmates via a storyboard. Feedback about the assignment was collected through end-of-course evaluations, faculty critique, and follow-up survey.

Results

Results showed that students enjoyed the assignment because it was novel and engaging. Through it, they were able to apply theory and concepts learned in the classroom to cases encountered in practice. Faculty determined that the assignment supported principles of effective instruction such as peer collaboration, time on task, and meaningful faculty–student interaction. A semester later, feedback collected from pharmacy students showed that the storyboard helped them recall and apply important concepts to subsequent clinical experiences.

Conclusions

The storyboard assignment was a valuable learning activity for both pharmacy and nursing students. It helped them link classroom learning to clinical experiences, enabled them to apply diverse talents in the academic setting, and prepared them to address real-life ethical and conflict situations.