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The effect of integrating constructivist and evidence-based practice on baccalaureate nursing student's cognitive
Suh-Ing Hsieh1, Li-Ling Hsu2, Tzu-Hsin Huang3
1Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, No. 236, 10th Floor-3, Fusing 1st Road, Guishan District, Taoyuan City, 33375, Taiwan, ROC.
Background:
Baccalaureate nursing students perceive research as unattractive, doubt the value of nursing research, and do not appreciate the link of research with practice. No studies have examined students' cognitive load during an evidence-based practice research course versus a traditional research course.
Objectives:
To assess the effect of integrating constructivist theories and evidence-based practice on student cognitive load and learning performance in a research course.
Design:
A true experimental study.
Settings:
A Registered Nurse-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
Participants:
Six classes of second-year students.
Methods:
Students were randomly allocated to the control group (two classes) or the experimental group (two classes) using cluster randomization. The control group underwent "traditional research"; the experimental group experienced "integrating evidence-based practice into research." Instruments for outcome assessment include the Cognitive Load Scale, cognitive test, team critique paper, and qualitative feedback on course satisfaction. The between-subjects effects were compared by Analysis of Covariance.
Results:
The experimental group had significantly higher mental load (8.74 vs. 7.27, p<.001), mental effort (11.07 vs. 10.07, p=.009), mental efficiency (0.33 vs. -0.31, p<.001), and research knowledge (70.61 vs. 44.92, p<.001) than the control group. The experimental group had better critique paper scores in introduction (92.80%), literature review (91.70%), and assignment requirement and writing (89.40%). Some experimental learners expressed satisfaction with learning evidence-based practice (17.78%) and critiquing a research article (7.78%).
Conclusions:
Integrating evidence-based practice into a research course not only improved the research knowledge of baccalaureate nursing students, but also increased their mental load, mental effort, and mental efficiency. Additional studies may track learners' responses to different learning systems using the developed instrument to measure the three types of cognitive load. These findings may help educators design more effective and interesting curricula for integrating research and evidence-based practice into the studies of student nurses.
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