A comparison of three interactive examination designs in active learning classrooms for nursing students

Abstract

Background Despite the advantages of using active learning strategies in nursing education, researchers have rarely investigated how such pedagogic approaches can be used to assess students or how interactive examinations can be modified depending on circumstances of practice (e.g., in online education). Aims The aim was to compare three interactive examination designs, all based on active learning pedagogy, in terms of nursing students’ engagement and preparedness, their learning achievement, and instructional aspects. Methods A comparative research design was used including final-year undergraduate nursing students. All students were enrolled in a quality improvement course at a metropolitan university in Sweden. In this comparative study to evaluate three course layouts, participants (Cohort 1, n = 89; Cohort 2, n = 97; Cohort 3, n = 60) completed different examinations assessing the same course content and learning objectives, after which they evaluated the examinations on a questionnaire in numerical and free-text responses. Chi-squared tests were conducted to compare background variables between the cohorts and Kruskal–Wallis H tests to assess numerical differences in experiences between cohorts. Following the guidelines of the Good Reporting of a Mixed Methods Study (GRAMMS), a sequential mixed-methods analysis was performed on the quantitative findings, and the qualitative findings were used complementary to support the interpretation of the quantitative results. Results The 246 students who completed the questionnaire generally appreciated the interactive examination in active learning classrooms. Among significant differences in the results, Cohort 2 (e.g., conducted the examination on campus) scored highest for overall positive experience and engagement, whereas Cohort 3 (e.g., conducted the examination online) scored the lowest. Students in Cohort 3 generally commended the online examination’s chat function available for use during the examination. Conclusions Interactive examinations for nursing students succeed when they are campus-based, focus on student preparation, and provide the necessary time to be completed.

Perspectives from nurse educators regarding the nursing courses of the secondary technical nursing schools

“…These results were in line with the results of other studies that reported that written exams, oral exams, and presentations of assignments were the most popular elections for students' evaluation purposes. (37,38).…”

The Effectiveness of Evidence-Based Teaching Practices in Biomedical Sciences on Students’ Learning Experience: A Systematic Literature Review

“…To that end, the EBTPs explored in this review created positive environments that were conducive to student learning. Students' perceptions gathered through survey responses revealed positive attitudes towards various aspects of learning components: teamwork (Brown, 2016;Huitt et al, 2015;Tarhan & Ayyildiz, 2015); usefulness of resources in learning (Fyfe, Fyfe, Dye, & Radley-Crabb, 2018); learning experiences (Abraham, Vashe, & Torke, 2015;Chen, Kelly, Hayes, Van Reyk, & Herok, 2016;Derfoufi et al, 2015;Gorres-Martens et al, 2016;Kulak & Newton, 2015;Matsuda, Azaiza, & Salani, 2017;Muthukrishnan et al, 2019;Youngwanichsetha, Kritcharoen, Chunuan, Kala, & Phumdoung, 2020); interest in biochemistry (Tarhan & Ayyildiz, 2015); accessibility to the instructor (Gonzalez & Gadbury-Amyot, 2016), cognitive load (Gross, Wright, & Anderson, 2017); engagement in scientific inquiry (Brown, 2016); experiment instructions (King et al, 2016); relevance of the teaching practices (King et al, 2016); exam experience (Ahlstrom & Holmberg, 2021); empathy towards older persons (Lucchetti, Duarte, Assis, Laurindo, Lucchetti, 2019); enjoyment (Kukolja Taradi & Taradi, 2016), and use of technology (Hardie et al, 2020).…”

Effect of digital based nursing intervention on knowledge of self-care behaviors and self-efficacy of adult clients with diabetes

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