Best strategies to teach nutrition courses in graduate programs: a systematic review

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Frontiers in Education

Publication Date

6-9-2026

Abstract

Introduction – Graduate-level nutrition education requires innovative teaching strategies that foster advanced clinical competence, professional communication, cultural responsiveness, and self-directed learning. Methods – This systematic review synthesized evidence from fifteen peer-reviewed studies examining diverse teaching strategies in graduate nutrition programs. Results – Most interventions employed simulation-based learning, experiential placements, or flipped classrooms, often incorporating technology such as virtual simulations and online collaborative platforms. Simulation and experiential approaches improved clinical competence, communication skills, empathy, and self-efficacy by providing realistic, hands-on experiences that bridged theoretical knowledge with professional practice. Flipped classrooms, though less frequently implemented, promoted teamwork, problem-solving, and reflective learning, while also requiring careful design to ensure adequate preparation and engagement. Purposefully integrated technology enhanced flexibility and reinforced active participation, particularly when used to complement, not replace, human interaction. Across study designs, findings highlight the strong alignment of active learning strategies with professional competency frameworks, particularly in fostering critical thinking, cultural competence, and inter-professional collaboration. These methods appear to facilitate the transition from student to emerging practitioner by simulating real-world complexity and encouraging reflective decision-making. However, evidence was limited by small sample sizes, short intervention periods, and reliance on self-reported measures, restricting generalizability. Conclusion – Overall, active learning strategies, especially simulation-based learning, experiential placements, and flipped classrooms, are effective tools for developing essential competencies in graduate-level nutrition education when supported by institutional resources and thoughtful pedagogical design. Systematic Review Registration – https://idesr.org/article/IDESR000121, IDESR IDESR000121.

ISSN

2504-284X

Publisher

Frontiers Media SA

Volume

11

Disciplines

Education | Medicine and Health Sciences

Keywords

active learning, dietetics education, flipped classroom, graduate nutrition education, simulation-based learning, systematic review

Scopus ID

105045089488

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

yes

Open Access Type

Gold: This publication is openly available in an open access journal/series

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