Mediating effects of self-directed learning on the relationship between critical thinking and problem-solving in student nurses attending online classes: A cross-sectional descriptive study

The mediating effect of self-directed learning ability between professional identity and burnout among nursing students

Objectives

Burnout influences students' academic performance and mental health. This study analyzed the relationship between professional identity, self-directed learning ability, and burnout, and examined the mediating effect of self-directed learning ability between professional identity and burnout among nursing students.

Methods

884 nursing students were recruited at two medical universities in China. Demographic information, Academic Burnout Scale, Professional Identity Questionnaire for Nursing Students, and Self-directed Learning Instrument were distributed to collect data.

Results

Both professional identity (β = -0.17) and self-directed learning ability (β = -0.43) showed negative associations with students' burnout. Meanwhile, there was a partial mediating effect of self-directed learning ability between professional identity and burnout (-0.24, 95% CI = -0.30, -0.20).

Conclusions

Nursing educators should emphasize on developing effective strategies to improve nursing students' professional identity and self-directed learning ability to prevent or reduce their burnout.

Nursing students' critical thinking and associated factors in Vietnam: A multicenter cross-sectional study

AIMS

This study aimed to evaluate the critical thinking abilities of senior nursing students in Vietnam and determine factors associated with their critical thinking disposition and skills.

BACKGROUND

Assessing critical thinking competence is crucial for determining senior nursing students' preparedness for entering the healthcare workforce and can be used to examine current nursing education's ability to cultivate nursing students' critical thinking. However, little research was found on critical thinking among Vietnamese nursing students.

DESIGN

A multicenter cross-sectional research design.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 533 senior nursing students from six universities in Vietnam participated in this study. All participants completed the online questionnaires, including basic information, a subscale of the Motivated Strategy for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), Critical Thinking Disposition Scale (CTDS), and Critical Thinking Self-Assessment Scale (CTSAS).

RESULTS

The mean score for the CTDS was 42.81 (standard deviation (SD) = 5.29), while the mean score for the CTSAS was 168.29 (SD = 44.43). Results of the multiple linear-regression analysis showed that an increase in self-study hours per day (B = 0.41, p = 0.007), higher self-efficacy in learning and performance (B = 0.26, p < 0.001), and a more-supportive environment (B = 0.97, p < 0.001) were predictors of critical thinking disposition. Moreover, an increase in self-study hours per day (B = 4.09, p = 0.001), higher self-efficacy in learning and performance (B = 2.65, p < 0.001), a more-supportive environment (B = 7.74, p < 0.001), and more experience with research (B = 7.03, p = 0.03) were predictors of critical thinking skills.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that senior nursing students in Vietnam possess a moderate level of critical thinking abilities. Those students who dedicate more hours to self-study, demonstrate higher self-efficacy in learning and performance, experience a supportive environment, and engage in more research activities exhibit better critical thinking disposition and skills. The findings highlight the ongoing need to enhance critical thinking disposition and skills of nursing students in Vietnam. It is suggested that nursing faculty members should develop the appropriate strategies to improve nursing students' critical thinking disposition and skills.

Design and evaluation of blended teaching in the smart classroom combined with virtual simulation training in basic nursing courses

OBJECTIVE

This study explored the application effect of smart classrooms combined with virtual simulation training in basic nursing courses for nursing undergraduates.

METHODS

In this quasi-experimental study, a total of 135 undergraduate nursing students in the 2021 matriculating cohort were selected as the research subjects. The experimental group of Class 1 had 71 students, and a blended teaching design utilizing a smart classroom and virtual simulation training was adopted. The control group of Class 2 had 64 students, and traditional lecture-based teaching design was adopted. After the course, the independent learning ability scale, test scores and teaching effectiveness questionnaire were used to evaluate the teaching effect. All tests had a maximum score of 100.

RESULTS

Nursing undergraduates in the experimental group had scores of 86.32 ± 8.25 for virtual simulation training and 84.82 ± 9.04 for peer-assisted learning. The scores of the theoretical examination, experimental examination, and subjective questions in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The approval rate of nursing undergraduates in the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group for four items (Ps < 0.05). Among the 71 students, most students (91.55%) claimed that the use of instructional designs increased the fun of the classroom. In addition to the dimension of information literacy, the total score of independent learning ability and the other three dimensions of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The teaching design combining smart classrooms and virtual simulation training can be applied to realize online blended teaching and classroom informatization, improving the academic performance and independent learning ability of nursing undergraduates, and thus achieving good teaching effects.

Effects of problem-solving skills development training on resilience, perceived stress, and self-efficacy in nursing students: A randomised controlled trial

AIM

This study aimed to investigate the effects of problem-solving skills development training for nursing students on their levels of resilience, perceived stress, and self-efficacy.

BACKGROUND

Although there are many studies on the problem-solving skills of nursing students, few have been based on the social problem-solving model. Most are cross-sectional and descriptive studies. Surprisingly, the number of studies that examine the effects of training for problem solving in nursing students is also quite limited.

DESIGN

This was a single-blind, randomised controlled trial.

METHODS

The study was conducted at the department of nursing of a state university in Western Turkey. Seventy-two second-year nursing students initially participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 19.97 ± 1.39 years. Of the participants, 72.2% were women, and 70.8% did not consider themselves academically successful. Participants were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. The experimental group received problem-solving skills development training based on the Social Problem-Solving Model once a week in a total of seven weeks (eight sessions), in which two sessions were in the last week. Duration of each session took at least 55 min and 150 min at max. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire that included a personal information form, Resilience Scale for Nurses, Social Problem Solving-Inventory-Short Form, Perceived Stress Scale, and General Self-Efficacy Scale. Measurements were performed at three different times: at the beginning of the study (T0), immediately after the training provided to the experimental group (T1), and one month follow-up measurement after the intervention (T2). Repeated-measures analysis of variance and covariance were performed to analyse data.

RESULTS

The mean post-training and 1-month follow-up scores for problem-solving, resilience, and self-efficacy of the students in the experimental group (the mean of T1 and T2 scores) were significantly higher, and the mean post-training and 1-month follow-up perceived stress scores of the students in the experimental group was significantly lower than those of the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study concluded that problem-solving skills training based on a social problem-solving model provided to nursing students increased their social problem solving, resilience, and self-efficacy levels and reduced their perceived stress. Therefore, further studies that plan intervention and training programs aimed at improving the social problem-solving levels of nursing students and include social problem-solving courses in university curricula are recommended.

Improving self-directed learning ability of medical students using the blended teaching method: a quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND

Self-directed learning (SDL) is one of the most important abilities for medical students in terms of their future clinical medical practice. During the blended teaching process, teachers can design a variety of learning activities to cultivate students' SDL abilities. This study aimed to assess the differences between the SDL abilities of medical students using blended and traditional didactic teaching.

METHODS

This study included 239 medical students from eight administrative classes. The students were divided into two groups: (1) the experimental group (EG), which included 119 students from four administrative classes, and (2) the control group (CG), which included 120 students from the remaining four classes. From February to July 2022, blended teaching methods were applied to the EG group, and SDL abilities were assessed in comparison to the CG group receiving traditional didactic teaching methods.

RESULTS

At the end of the semester, significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed between EG and CG in all six SDL ability factors. Furthermore, when k-means cluster analysis was used to analyze the learning behavior of students in the EG after classifying them as comprehensive, interactive, and passive types, significant differences were observed in all six Self-directed learning factors of students with the comprehensive type, whereas significant differences were observed in four factors (setting learning goals and plans, self-monitoring and regulation, information processing, and communication and cooperation) of students with the interactive type. For students with passive type, only one factor of SDL (information processing) showed significant improvement. There were on differences between comprehensive, interactive, and passive types of CG.

CONCLUSION

The blended teaching approach is better than the conventional didactic teaching for cultivating clinical medical students' SDL abilities.

The mediating effects of self-directed learning ability and critical thinking ability on the relationship between learning engagement and problem-solving ability among nursing students in Southern China: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Problem-solving ability has been identified as a core competence that nursing students should develop, and it plays a vital role in career development. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate factors related to problem-solving ability and the path relationships among those factors in the context of nursing students.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to identify the factors that affect problem-solving ability, and to investigate path relationships of self-directed learning ability, critical thinking ability, learning engagement, and problem-solving ability among nursing students.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTINGS

The Department of Nursing at a university located in Shanghai, China.

SAMPLE

A total of 540 nursing students with a three-year education program were enrolled in the current study.

METHODS

Data were collected by using a structured questionnaire, including general information, learning engagement, self-directed learning ability, critical thinking ability, and problem-solving ability of nursing students. Pearson's correlations were used to explore the relationships between learning engagement, self-directed learning ability, critical thinking ability, and problem-solving ability. The path relationships were analyzed by constructing a structural equation model using AMOS software.

RESULTS

Our results showed that learning engagement, self-directed learning ability, and critical thinking ability were positively associated with problem-solving ability. Furthermore, learning engagement did not influence problem-solving ability directly, but it affected problem-solving ability indirectly via self-directed learning ability and critical thinking ability among nursing students. Additionally, the total effects of self-directed learning (0.442) and critical thinking ability (0.581) were more prominent than learning engagement (0.361) on problem-solving ability.

CONCLUSIONS

To improve the problem-solving ability of nursing students, nursing educators should develop targeted strategies to enhance learning engagement, self-directed learning ability, and critical thinking ability.

Direct and indirect effects of self-directed learning on creativity in healthcare undergraduates: a chain mediation model of openness to challenge and diversity and creative self-efficacy

Background

Creativity and self-directed learning (SDL) are prominent for undergraduate healthcare students to provide quality patient care in an increasingly complex healthcare environment. Research suggested that SDL is linked with creativity, yet the mechanism underlying the relationship between SDL and creativity has not been fully understood.

Objective

This study examined the relationship between SDL and creativity and constructed a chain mediation model to identify the mediating effect of openness to diversity and challenge (ODC) and creative self-efficacy (CSE).

Methods

Through convenience sampling, 575 healthcare undergraduates (average age = 19.28 years, SD = 1.124 years) were surveyed from Shandong Province in China. Creativity, SDL, ODC, and CSE were assessed using corresponding scales. Pearson's correlation analysis, hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis, a serial multiple mediation analysis, and bias-corrected percentile Bootstrap method were conducted by using structural equation modeling by AMOS 26.0.

Results

The direct path between SDL and creativity was significant. SDL can positively predict both ODC and CSE, and the latter two variables can significantly and positively predict creativity. ODC and CSE played a significant partial mediating role in the relationship between SDL and creativity. The mediating effect consists of three indirect effects: SDL → ODC → creativity (the mediating effect value is 0.193, p = 0.012), SDL → CSE → creativity (the mediating effect value is 0.096，p = 0.001), and SDL → ODC → CSE → creativity (the mediating effect value is 0.035, p = 0.031).

Conclusion

SDL can positively predict creativity. ODC and CSE had significant mediating effects between SDL and creativity, including single partial mediating effects of ODC and CSE and chain mediating effects of ODC-CSE.

Relationship between super-leadership and self-directed learning ability in online nursing education: The mediating effects of self-leadership and self-efficacy perceptions

Background

Self-directed learning ability is a core competence that enables students to enhance their academic achievement, clinical competence, and professional growth in nursing education. Super-leadership-as a strategy to develop the learning process-promotes students' self-leadership, which, in turn, enhances perceived self-efficacy perception and ultimately facilitates self-directed learning ability. Few studies have rigorously determined the influences of super-leadership, self-leadership, and academic self-efficacy perceptions on self-directed learning ability in online nursing education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives

To determine the mediating effects of self-leadership and self-efficacy perceptions in the relationship between perceived super-leadership and self-directed learning ability.

Design

This study was conducted using a quantitative mediation analysis design.

Participants

One hundred and fifty nursing students were conveniently recruited from two nursing colleges offering the same four-year nursing degree program.

Methods

Participants completed a super-leadership scale, a self-leadership scale, an academic self-efficacy scale, and a self-directed learning ability inventory. Data were analyzed with Pearson's correlations, regression analysis, Sobel's test, and Hayes's Process Macro using the bootstrap method.

Results

Self-directed learning ability was correlated with perceived super-leadership (r = .47, p < .001), self-leadership (r = 0.69, p < .001), and academic self-efficacy (r = 0.29, p < .001). Super-leadership influenced self-leadership (β = 0.42, p < .001), academic self-efficacy (β = 0.22, p = .002), and self-directed learning ability (β = 0.36, p < .001). Self-leadership and academic self-efficacy mediated the relationship between super-leadership and self-directed learning ability (β = .42, p < .001; β = 0.35, p < .001) (z = 1.936, p = .026 by Sobel test).

Conclusion

Learning strategies to enhance self-directed learning ability are required for successful super-leadership to boost self-leadership and academic self-efficacy perceptions among nursing students in the online, asynchronous COVID-19 educational environment. Therefore, this study's empirical evidence on integrating super-leadership with self-leadership and academic self-efficacy has practical and future research implications in terms of attaining core academic goals for nursing students.

Subgroups of self-directed learning ability and their differences in professional identity among nursing undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic: a latent profile analysis

BACKGROUND

Promoting self-directed learning (SDL) among nursing undergraduates is crucial to meet the new requirements of the healthcare system and to adapt to online learning contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, identifying the classification features of SDL ability and developing targeted interventions are both critical. Professional identity (PI) may contribute to the cultivation of SDL ability, but their relationship remains relatively unknown. This study aimed to explore the subgroups of SDL ability and their differences in PI among nursing undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A total of 2438 nursing undergraduates at four universities in China were enrolled in this cross-sectional study from November 2021 to February 2022. The Self-Directed Learning Scale of Nursing Undergraduates (SLSNU) and the Professional Identity Scale for Nursing Students (PISNS) were administered. A latent profile analysis was performed to explore SDL ability latent profiles. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the predictors of profile membership, and a one-way analysis of variance was applied to compare the PI scores in each latent profile.

RESULTS

Three latent profiles were identified and labeled 'low SDL ability' (n = 749, 30.7%), 'low initiative of help-seeking' (n = 1325, 54.4%) and 'high SDL ability' (n = 364, 14.9%). Multinomial logistic regression analysis suggested that nursing undergraduates who voluntarily chose a nursing major, had served as a student cadre, and had participated in clinical practicum were less likely to be included in the "low SDL ability" group. The average PI score was statistically different across the three profiles (F = 884.40, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The SDL ability among nursing undergraduates was divided into three profiles, and results show that promoting PI may effectively foster SDL ability. This study highlights the importance of targeted interventions by considering their distinct SDL ability patterns, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moderated mediating effects of gender among the components of critical thinking disposition in undergraduate students

Critical thinking disposition (CTD), as a facet of the critical thinking (CT) framework, is regarded as the activation of critical thinking skills (CTS). Although studies regarding gender difference of CTD can be found, there is a scarcity of studies on the relationships among CTD components and their mediating effects concerning gender. Additionally, traditional gender comparison of latent means neglected the influence of scales, which leads to doubt about the results on whether the difference is caused by scales or gender characteristic distinction. Measurement invariance (MI) is suggested to be confirmed before performing comparisons. Previous research has had fewer MI results for CTD inventories. Thus, this study aims to analyze the gender equality of the Employer-Employee-Supported Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (2ES-CTDI) as well as the moderated mediating effects of gender on the components of CTD among 661 Chinese undergraduates (M_age = 19.57; SD = 1.26) via MI and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) by Mplus and STATA. The results found that (a) the scale has high reliability and validity for measuring undergraduates' CTD. MI findings indicated that the configural and metric models were achieved, and the scalar model identified the partial invariance by freeing the intercepts of indicators A5, C7, and C8; (b) Girls have stronger self-efficacy and habitual truth-digging disposition, whereas boys have higher instant judgment; (c) Instant judgment has a negative influence on habitual truth-digging with self-efficacy as the competitive partial mediator, in which, gender moderated the relationship between instant judgment and self-efficacy. These findings, theoretically, proved the stability of the CTD framework of 2ES-CTDI, and practically, call for instructors to pay closer attention to the gender role in CTD cultivation.

Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the self-directed learning instrument in Chinese nursing students

BACKGROUND

In a rapidly changing healthcare environment, Self-directed learning (SDL) ability is recognized as a crucial condition for nursing students and nurse to deal with severe challenges positively. Developing SDL ability is becoming more and more important among nursing students. SDL is related to nursing students enhancing their own knowledge, skills and maintaining lifelong learning. This study is aim at translating the Self-directed Learning Instrument (SDLI) into Chinese and verify its reliability and validity among nursing students.

METHODS

The study adopted a cross-sectional design and the multistage sampling design. The SDLI was translated into Chinese, and the reliability and validity of the scale were tested among 975 nursing students.

RESULTS

The Cronbach's α value of the Chinese version of SDLI was 0.916. The split-half reliability coefficient was 0.829, and the retest coefficient was 0.884. The content validity index of the scale was 0.95. Furthermore, the four-factors model was obtained by using exploratory factor analysis, explaining 55.418% variance, and the communalities of the items ranged from 0.401 to 0.664. With modified confirmatory factor analysis, the fit indices were chi-square/degree of freedom (CMIN/DF) = 2.285, the comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.947, and the tucker lewis index (TLI) was 0.938. And, the model fitting indexes were all in the acceptable range and confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the model fit the SDLI well.

CONCLUSION

The Chinese version of SDLI has good validity and reliability among nursing students. It can be used to measure the SDL ability of nursing students in China.

The mediating effect of self-directed learning in the relationship between caring and resilience among Chinese nursing students: A multi-center cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Despite the proliferation of literature focusing on resilience, a paucity of research has attempted a thorough and accurate examination of factors that contribute to resilience among nursing students.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the mediating effect of self-directed learning in the relationship between caring and resilience in Chinese nursing students.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional design.

SETTINGS

Five universities in China.

PARTICIPANTS

Undergraduate nursing students (N = 511).

METHODS

The Caring Ability Inventory, Self-Rating Scale of Self-Directed Learning, and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) were administered. Socio-demographic and academic data were collected from nursing students after obtaining their informed consent. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to assess factors associated with resilience. A structural equation model with bootstrapping estimation was conducted to further explore the potential mediating role of self-directed learning in the relationship between caring and resilience.

RESULTS

The average score of CD-RISC for nursing students was 92.96 ± 14.85. Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that caring and self-directed learning were significantly positively associated with resilience. Self-directed learning (β = 0.327, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.049-6.667, p < 0.001) had a significant mediating effect on the relationship between caring and resilience in nursing students, explaining 67.1% of the total effect of caring on resilience.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions that enhance students' self-directed learning have the potential to enhance resilience level. Innovative pedagogical approaches, strategic reinforcement, and nursing curriculum transformation are recommended to promote self-directed learning awareness and internalize self-directed learning skills.

Surveying and Modelling 21st Century Online Learning Patterns of Medical Students

Medical education in the 21st century is shifting more toward online learning because of extensive application of information and communication technology (ICT). We surveyed medical students' 21st century online learning experiences and modeled the interrelations among relevant dimensions of 21st century online learning. Based on the general themes proposed by multiple 21st century learning frameworks and current medical education emphases, a seven-factor instrument was developed for surveying 364 medical students' learning process, thinking process, and basic science-related clinical ability. The associations among the seven factors and the structural relationships of how online learning practices and thinking processes affected basic science-related clinical ability were explored. The developed instrument was validated and possessed good reliability. The seven dimensions were interrelated. Specifically, meaningful learning with ICT was positively associated with other learning practices. The learning practices were positively associated with the thinking processes and the thinking processes were positively associated with students' basic science-related clinical ability. Our findings suggested that students engaged in active and collaborative learning with technology would employ higher-order thinking and perceived better basic science-related clinical ability. The findings support engaging medical students with 21st century learning practices to strengthen students' self-perception of clinical ability.

The impact of attitude toward peer interaction on middle school students' problem-solving self-efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic

The outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic has promoted the popularity of online learning, but has also exposed some problems, such as a lack of interaction, resulting in loneliness. Against this background, students' attitudes toward peer interaction may have become even more important. In order to explore the impact of attitude toward peer interaction on students' mindset including online learning motivation and critical thinking practice that could affect their problem-solving self-efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed and administered a questionnaire, receiving 1,596 valid responses. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were re-tested, and structural equation modeling was applied. It was found that attitude toward peer interaction could positively predict middle school students' online learning motivation and critical thinking. Learning motivation and critical thinking also positively supported problem-solving self-efficacy. It is expected that the results of this study can be a reference for teachers to adopt student-centered online learning in problem solving courses.