title: Impact of pedagogical approaches on cognitive complexity and motivation to learn: Comparing nursing and engineering undergraduate students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The changing higher education landscape is prompting nurses to rethink educational strategies. Looking beyond traditional professional boundaries may be beneficial. We compare nursing to engineering because engineering has similar accreditation outcome goals and different pedagogical approaches.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We compare students' cognitive complexity and motivation to learn to identify opportunities to share pedagogical approaches between nursing and engineering.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional data were collected from 1,167 freshmen through super senior students. Comparisons were made across years and between majors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall nursing and engineering students advance in cognitive complexity while maintaining motivation for learning. Sophomores reported the lowest scores on many dimensions indicating that their experiences need review. The strong influence of the National Council Licensure Examination on nursing students may drive their classroom preferences. Increased intrinsic motivation, coupled with decreased extrinsic motivation, suggests that we are graduating burgeoning life-long learners equipped to maintain currency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The disciplines' strategies for incorporating real-world learning opportunities differ, yet the students similarly advance in cognitive complexity and maintain motivation to learn. Lessons can be exchanged across professional boundaries.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN; School of Industrial Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. Electronic address: sara@purdue.edu.
authors.forename: Sara A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: McComb
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.
authors.forename: Jane M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kirkpatrick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004738:Engineering / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D013663:Teaching / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cognitive complexity; Engineering education; Motivation to learn; Nursing education