The name Discovering HIPAA reveals something unique about our HIPAA training. It is based on the Discovery Learning Theory. Discovery Learning is a theory of education that requires the student to participate in the learning. The Discovery Learning method encourages students to formulate their own tentative answers to questions and deduce general principles from practical examples or experiences. Notice that our training is not a Powerpoint that you click through. Instead, we ask questions — sometimes even before the answer is revealed. The training encourages the student to think and develop critical thinking skills in the process.
For the historians in the group, Jerome Bruner is credited with introducing discovery learning as a formal theory in 1960 in a book called “The Process of Education”. He further expanded his work in “Toward a Theory of Instruction” in 1966. Additional branches of the theory were developed in 1972 by Muska Mosston when he introduced the Guided Discovery Learning Theory and in 1986 when Bruner himself added problem solving to the theory. Bruner also went on to add social and cultural aspects of learning to the theory.
Beyond the support of critical thinking skills, other advantages of Discovery Learning are:
- Actively engages the student in learning
- Fosters creativity
- Personalizes the learning experience
- Increases motivation
- Builds on prior knowledge and understanding
References:
Bruner, J. S. (1960). The process of education. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.
Bruner, J. S. (1961). The act of discovery. Harvard Educational Review, 31, 21-32.
Mosston, Muska (1972). Teaching: From command to discovery. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
