Integrating peer instruction and peer assessment with competency-based four-step approach: effectiveness on wound dressing skill acquisition and motivation among nursing students

Abstract

BackgroundA student-friendly atmosphere and interactive learning experience enhance students' motivation and skill acquisition. Thus, integrating students' interactive participation in the teacher-led demonstration would add more enthusiasm and motivation. AimTo determine the effect of integrating peer instructions and assessment with competency-based four-step approach on wound dressing skill acquisition and motivation among nursing students. DesignA quasi-experimental, two-group pretest-posttest study was carried out at the skill labs of the College of Health and Sport Sciences. MethodsA convenience sampling of 121 nursing students were assigned to two groups; the control group received the traditional Peyton's 4-Steps-Approach (P4-SA). These steps included (a) demonstration; teacher performed the complete skill without comments or explanation, (b) deconstruction; teacher performed every sub-step slowly with detailed explanation, (c) comprehension; teacher performed the skill for third time, following the student's instructions and explanation of every sub-step, (d) execution; student described and execute the skill step by step simultaneously (n = 59). While the study group received the modified P4-SA approach where peer learning and peer assessment were applied in step 4 (n = 62). ResultsThe study revealed that 71.0% of students in the study group obtained good total percent skills scores immediately after receiving the intervention, compared to 18.6% of those in the control group (p<0.001). Moreover, 93.5% had good total percent scores of skills after eight weeks of the intervention, compared to only 46.6% of those in the control group (p< 0.001). Regarding motivation, students in the study group also reported higher intrinsic and extrinsic goal orientation, task value, self-efficacy for learning and performance, and test anxiety control of learning beliefs. ConclusionsIntegrating a student-centered teaching approach effectively promoted their motivation while performing complex nursing competencies such as wound dressing and facilitating skill acquisition and retention. Therefore, nursing educators could utilize their educational toolkit with various strategies for empowering nursing students' active participation in their learning.