Barriers and Facilitators to the Learning and Acquisition of Research Competencies among Nursing Students through Active Methodologies: A Qualitative Study Using Reflective Writing

Abstract

Background: The development of educational research, critical thinking skills, and evidence-based practice requires proposals for educational innovation. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of undergraduate nursing students on the barriers and facilitators after the implementation of a novel activity within the course of research methodology, composed of three active learning strategies: (a) project-based learning; (b) small-group learning; and (c) self-directed learning. Methods: A qualitative exploratory study using reflective writing was conducted at the Nursing Department of the Red Cross School (Spain). Seventy-four nursing students participated in the study, enrolled in the research methodology course. Purposive sampling was used. Online reflective notes were collected from a script of open-ended questions. An inductive thematic analysis was performed. Results: The new proposals facilitated learning of the subject matter and its contents. They were useful and enabled the students to put the contents into practice. In addition, they improved the students’ organization, planning, and involvement. The barriers identified were a lack of time, ambiguity, inadequate tutoring or novelty of the work, and inequity in the distribution of tasks and workloads. Conclusions: Our findings shed light on the barriers and facilitators identified by nursing students when implementing an educational innovation proposal, using three active learning methodologies as learning tools for the subject of nursing research.

Barriers and Strategies in the Implementation of Virtual Learning Modalities Amid COVID-19 among Students in Nursing Schools at Sulu Province, Philippines

“…However, the study also identifies strategies that could enhance the effectiveness of virtual learning in nursing education. Providing reliable internet access and necessary hardware and software are foundational steps (Tássia Teles Santana de et al, 2023;Velarde-García et al, 2023;Yeo & Jang, 2022). Offering diverse learning resources tailored to different learning styles acknowledges the individuality of students' educational experiences (Palomino et al, 2023;Velarde-García et al, 2023).…”

“…Providing reliable internet access and necessary hardware and software are foundational steps (Tássia Teles Santana de et al, 2023;Velarde-García et al, 2023;Yeo & Jang, 2022). Offering diverse learning resources tailored to different learning styles acknowledges the individuality of students' educational experiences (Palomino et al, 2023;Velarde-García et al, 2023). Facilitating communication and feedback between faculty and students is pivotal, as it fosters engagement, motivation, and digital literacy (Dubs, 2023;Palomino et al, 2023).…”

Aprendizagem Baseada em Projetos em Cursos de Graduação na Área da Saúde:

“…A intregralização do conhecimento foi outra potencialidade vista nos artigos, o que corrobora um estudo brasileiro que utilizou a ABPj e mostrou que esta foi capaz de permitir que os objetivos propostos fossem alcançados, a motivação e a autonomia dos estudantes durante todo o processo de ensino remoto, e o desenvolvimento de competências para a elaboração de projetos no ensino em saúde na formação do enfermeiro também estiveram presentes (Pascon et al, 2022). Em outro estudo, as reflexões dos estudantes mostraram que a ABPj potencializou o processo de aprendizagem e a integração dos conteúdos disciplinares, não apenas memorizando informações, mas dando significado e sentido ao que está sendo estudado, ou seja, a ABPj auxiliou na consolidação do assunto (Velarde-García et al, 2023).…”