Comparison of two teaching strategies for teaching basic nursing skills to baccalaureate nursing students

This research investigated the effect of utilizing teaching strategies of the traditional lecture presentation compared to self-directed learning on academic performance, attitude toward the teaching strategy, and anxiety with students studying principles and techniques basic to nursing practice. One hundred and seventeen sophomore baccalaureate nursing students located at three different sites served as the participants. Data collection for this study included the use of a pretest-posttest to measure academic performance, Spielberger\u27s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory to determine the students\u27 test anxiety, Kolb\u27s Learning Style Inventory to identify each participant\u27s preferred learning styles, and Kelly\u27s Adjective Rating Scale to assess students\u27 attitudes toward each teaching strategy according to five descriptive adjectives--dullness, emotional appeal, interest value, practical value, and difficulty. Analyses of the data revealed that students using the self-directed learning experience scored significantly higher on academic performance, had significantly less anxiety before the final exam, and significantly felt the strategy had more interest and practical values and less dullness than the traditional lecture presentation group. The implications of this research were described in relation to the applicability of alternative teaching strategies in nursing education and clinical service