Improvement in critical thinking dispositions of undergraduate nursing students through problem-based learning: a crossover-experimental study.
Critical thinking (CT) is important to nursing education and practice. Although there is evidence that active learning approaches, such as problem-based learning (PBL), are effective in developing CT dispositions, the findings are inconclusive. This study examines the effect of PBL on the development of CT dispositions in nursing students using a crossover-experimental study in a course offered to nursing students in China. All students were randomly assigned to two parallel groups, with one group receiving PBL and the other receiving lecture-based learning (LBL) as a control. The CT Dispositions Inventory-Chinese Version was administered before and after the semester-long course. Data were collected at three time points. No significant differences between groups were noted in overall and sub-scale scores at baseline; however, pronounced differences in overall posttest scores existed between the PBL and LBL groups. Thus, PBL learning significantly enhanced the CT dispositions of nursing students enrolled in Medical-Surgical Nursing II.
Dehong
D
Yu
Yaqing
Y
Zhang
Yun
Y
Xu
Juemin
J
Wu
Caifeng
C
Wang
D002681:China; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D013338:Students, Nursing; D013850:Thinking; D055815:Young Adult