Effects of blended versus offline case-centred learning on the academic performance and critical thinking ability of undergraduate nursing students: A cluster randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare the effect of blended and offline case-centred learning on medical nursing education for undergraduate nursing students.

BACKGROUND

Technological advancements are rapidly changing nursing education in higher educational settings. Educational reform, especially regarding methods of teaching, has been the focus of nursing educators in recent years.

DESIGN

The research was conducted between September 2018 and July 2019 in China.

METHODS

Second-year undergraduate nursing students in two classes were enrolled for this study by cluster sampling. The study outcomes were academic performance and critical thinking ability, measured using the Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory-Chinese Version.

RESULTS

Students in the experimental class showed significantly higher improvements in academic performance than those in the control class. Compared with the control class, the pre-post difference in competency in critical thinking self-confidence in the experimental class was significantly greater (p = 0.037). In the experimental class, there was a significant improvement over the baseline in the dimension of critical thinking self-confidence (p = 0.022). In the control class, there was a significant improvement over the baseline in the total score (p = 0.029) and two of the seven dimensions: truth-seeking (p = 0.016) and systematicity (p = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of blended case-centred learning showed promising results in improving students' academic performance. Both blended and offline case-centred learning were indicated to be effective educational approaches to improve the critical thinking ability of undergraduate nursing students and could be implemented for other nursing subjects in the future.