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Keywords:Nursing education Group work First-year experience Student approaches to learning Background and Aim: As part of the process of nursing students becoming 'work ready' within future health care teams, students need the skills to work collaboratively. In higher education, establishing group work assignments is a teaching method to develop group work skills. Not only is group work an important teaching method to develop effective group work skills but it is also used to activate deep learning. However, to date, there has been a lack of research on the impact of group work on student approaches to learning. This study aimed to examine the interrelationships between students, group work characteristics, and their approaches to learning. Design and Participants: A survey design was used, before and after a targeted academic skills development intervention, which had a specific focus on the development of group work skills. The sample involved first year undergraduate nursing students undertaking a Bachelor of Nursing programme at a regional university in Australia. A total of 92 students completed the pre-survey, and 102 students completed the post-survey. Method: Data were collected using quantitative surveys. Results: Metacognitive awareness was found to best predict a deep approach to learning. Young age and experiencing discomfort in group work were two predictors of a surface approach to learning. Conclusion: Findings indicate that nurse educators should develop strategies that support students' metacognitive awareness in relation to group work, and also support those students who feel less comfortable in working with others.© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. IntroductionDeveloping group work skills amongst students is seen as crucial, not only within university and professional contexts, but also more broadly as part of lifelong learning (Lizzio and Wilson, 2006;Noonan, 2013). Undergraduate nursing students need to develop a range of skills that relate to being an effective group member in the university environment, and as members of health care teams in clinical settings to deliver effective and safe patient and family care (Chapman, 2006;Oldenburg and Hung, 2010;Rossen et al., 2008). National Competency Standards for Registered Nurses form the foundation for undergraduate nursing programmes to deliver graduates that contribute to quality nursing care through lifelong learning and professional development of themselves and others, and who demonstrate professional practice aligned with the health needs of the population (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2013). To contribute to achieving these goals, it is common for nursing educators to use group work, particularly with first-year students, as a means to develop effective group work skills and deep learning from the beginning of their studies.Supporting the development of these skills early on in a programme of study has the potential for higher student satisfaction and may lead to better group work outcomes (Bonanno et al., 1998;Burdet...

This article describes the experiences of the marketing faculty at Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore in their effort to help their students develop essential entry-level skills by transforming the marketing curriculum using problem-based learning. The article describes how the faculty selected the problem-based learning approach and the challenges associated with implementing it. Evidence of the success of the new curriculum also is provided.

This article presents the findings of a study of the interrelationships between students' individual characteristics, self-efficacy beliefs, parental involvement, university and classroom learning environments; teachers' individual characteristics, teaching efficacies, university and classroom learning environments, teacher outcomes and approaches to teaching; and approaches to learning (deep and surface learning) and self-directed learning readiness. The study was guided by a two-level integrated theoretical framework, designed to examine 'student and teacher ecological systems' and their influences on student learning and outcomes. Data was drawn from 392 students and 32 teachers situated in 44 problem-based learning classrooms from three study levels at a Malaysian private medical university. The analyses, through hierarchical linear modelling, revealed what and how personal, family, learning environment and teacher factors directly influenced approaches to learning and self-directed learning readiness. Implications for teaching in higher education are discussed.