Nursing Students’ Preferences in Test-taking, E-Books, and Learning Styles: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the preferences of testing and learning styles of undergraduatenursing students within a baccalaureate school of nursing.Background: Historically, nursing education has been in a face- to face (F2F) lecture format. One of themost pronounced trends in higher education over the last decade has been a strong growth in distanceeducation through online course work 1.Method: A survey was given to 685 undergraduate sophomore level nursing students within a baccalaureateundergraduate school of nursing over eight semesters. This same survey was given again to these sophomoreundergraduate nursing students during their senior year to determine if results waivered. There were 228seniors surveyed over four semesters.Students were asked to indicate their age (17 to 27 years, 27 to 37 years, > 37 years)Students were queried about their preferences among the following categories:1. Test taking preference: computer exams, or paper and pencil exams2. Book preference: traditional hard copy textbook, or E-book3. Learning style preference: online learning, or attending classroom lecture, or bothResults: Overwhelmingly, sophomore and senior level undergraduate nursing students surveyed,selected their preferences in test taking, book usage, and instruction styles, to support traditional learningmethodologiesConclusion: The results from this study emphasize the need for nurse educators to listen attentively to theirstudents and not assume that advanced technology is the ultimate learning method to be utilized