Creating tension: undergraduate student nurses' responses to a problem-based learning curriculum.
Qualitative data were collected from undergraduate student nurses (n = 45) who were participating in a problem-based learning programme of education. Data analysis, using a modified grounded theory method, revealed that although it was perceived that there were considerable benefits to be gained from problem-based learning, there were also some disadvantages. A category that was labelled 'creating tension', which consisted of two sub-categories, namely 'making the transition' and 'remembering the aims' emerged from the data. Making the transition highlighted the difficulty in moving to problem-based learning from more traditional methods of education, whilst remembering the aims described an emphasis on the importance that students place on knowledge acquisition. A number of recommendations for educational practice and research are made as a result of these findings.
Biley
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University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, UK. BILEY@cf.ac.uk
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003479:Curriculum; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000379:methods*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009736:Nursing Process; D011340:Problem Solving; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*