A blended learning teaching strategy strengthens the nursing students’ performance and self-reported learning outcome achievement in an anatomy, physiology and biochemistry course – A quasi-experimental study

Heidi Kristine Grønlien,Trine Eker Christoffersen,Øystein Ringstad,Marita Andreassen,Ricardo G Lugo

doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103046

Heidi Kristine Grønlien, Trine Eker Christoffersen + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103046

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Abstract

In nursing, bioscience is regarded as one of the cornerstones of nursing practice. However, bioscience disciplines as anatomy, physiology and biochemistry are considered challenging for students and the failure rate is high. In this study we explore a blended learning teaching strategy in an anatomy, physiology and biochemistry course for first year Bachelor nursing students. In the blended learning teaching strategy, short narrated online digital resources of bioscientific terms and concepts were integrated into the teaching design along with digital metacognitive evaluations of learning outcomes. Results show that compared to students receiving traditional face-to-face teaching, the students with a blended learning approach performed better on their national exam with a small to medium effect size (Cohen’s d=0.23). Student course evaluations supported the blended learning delivery with small to medium effect sizes. The students reported that the digital resources supported their learning outcome achievement, that they better understood the teacher’s expectations and that they were more satisfied with their virtual learning environment. This study adds to the growing literature of blended learning effectiveness in higher education, and suggests the use of digital resources as an enrichment of teaching and enhancement of students’ study experience.

Highlights

By nature, anatomy and physiology courses are challenging with a high volume of subject specific terms that the students need to under stand before they can begin to develop conceptual mastery in these disciplines (Slominski et al, 2019)
More students scored higher grades (A: 6.2%; B: 5.2%) and fewer students (6.2%) failed the examination, the attrition rate was still high for both groups, 23.8% and 17.6% for FF-students and BLstudents respectively
In this study we investigated the effects of a blended learning de livery versus a traditional face-to-face delivery through measuring the examination result in an anatomy, physiology and biochemistry course for first-year students in nursing, as well as their course feedback eval uations

Summary

Introduction

Anatomy and physiology courses are challenging with a high volume of subject specific terms that the students need to under stand before they can begin to develop conceptual mastery in these disciplines (Slominski et al, 2019). It is well documented that theoretical concepts in biosciences are an area of knowledge acquisition that nursing students find difficult to understand (Jensen et al, 2018; Jordan et al, 1999; McKee, 2002; Montayre et al, 2019; Smales, 2010) and a source of anxiety amongst students (Craft et al, 2013; Crane and Cox, 2013; Nicoll and Butler, 1996). McVicar and colleagues (2015) have identified predictive factors of student outcomes in theoretical bioscience courses in undergraduate nursing programs. They found two levels that influence student performance: students and learning envi ronments. Entry level, science self-efficacy and study skills were significant, while for learning environments attributed to the institution, the lecturer’s skills and teaching strategies influenced the performance

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