The effect of a multidimensional teaching strategy on the self-efficacy and critical thinking dispositions of nursing students: A quasi-experimental study

Abstract

BackgroundInternships in pediatric nursing often reveal that nursing students lack critical thinking dispositions and self-confidence, which are important and necessary for nursing practice. Therefore, preparing nursing students to engage in critical thinking is an important goal for educators. ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to explore whether a teaching model combining the 5E learning model and self-efficacy would be effective in enhancing participants' self-efficacy and critical thinking dispositions in a course on child-friendly care. DesignThe quasi-experimental method was single-blind, as the study was conducted with two parallel and unequal groups to address the research questions. SettingTwo campuses of a university located in Northern and Southern Taiwan. ParticipantsFifty-eight participants completed this study. MethodsParticipants completed the pre-test questionnaire in Week 1, after which participants in the experimental group learned via the teaching strategy that combined the 5E learning model and self-efficacy, while participants in the control group were taught the same course via conventional teaching methods. A post-test questionnaire was completed in Week 18. An independent sample t-test was used to determine any mean differences of outcome variables between groups over time. ResultsSignificant improvements were found in self-efficacy, t (56) = 3.93, p < 0.01, but non-significant results for the outcome of critical thinking disposition t (56) = 0.88, p > 0.05. A t-test was also performed on the four subscales of critical thinking disposition for the two groups, showing that the only difference for overall reflective thinking was statistically significant, t (56) = 2.09, p < 0.05). ConclusionsThe multidimensional teaching strategy introduced in this study is more effective than conventional teaching strategies in improving students' self-efficacy and the overall reflective thinking aspect of critical thinking disposition.