Florence Wong
Tung Wah College, China
Title: Collaborative approach facilitates learning attitudes of undergraduate nursing students
Biography
Biography: Florence Wong
Abstract
Background: Collaborative approach is a teaching method that embraces many advantages in knowledge enhancement and multiple-skill development. Nowadays, collaborative learning approach is also used in professional trainings. Students’ learning attitude is the key of learning achievement. However, little is known about how learning attitudes of nursing students respond to this learning approach.
Method: A cross-sectional design was used with a convenience sample using self-reported student attitudes toward group environment (SAGE) to measure learning attitudes in collaborative learning.
Results: A total of 327 undergraduate nursing students with mean age 20.4±1.83 years old were recruited. More than 270 students concurred with items related to the beneficial effects of collaborative approach in knowledge and skill development, building relationships and collaborative achievement. However, about 200 students reported some concerns, such as inadequate discussion and unfairness of grading/work distribution while working in a group. Of 4 learning attitudinal domains grouped from the SAGE items, the results showed that quality of product and process was the most significant (mean 46.9 and SD 6.39). The student interdependence was subsequently followed with mean 39.37 with SD 4.23.
Conclusion: Collaborative approach is an effective teaching mode to enhance knowledge and develop skills. Two attitudinal learning domains indicate better students’ learning attitudes determined by effective collaborative group formation with friends. The findings raise the awareness of nurse educators to devise strategies for facilitating students’ learning through collaborative approach by forming effective groups, providing adequate discussion, promoting group collaboration and ensuring fairness of grading and work distribution.