A comparison of three interactive examination designs in active learning classrooms for nursing students

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Pedagogy
• Educational Assessment

Background:

• Active learning strategies offer benefits in nursing education but are underutilized for student assessment.
• Interactive examinations require adaptation for diverse practice settings, including online environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare three active learning-based interactive examination designs.
• To evaluate nursing students' engagement, preparedness, and learning achievement.
• To assess instructional aspects of different examination formats.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving final-year undergraduate nursing students in Sweden.
• Three distinct interactive examination designs were implemented and evaluated.
• Mixed-methods analysis, including questionnaires and statistical tests, was employed.

Main Results:

• Students generally favored interactive examinations in active learning settings.
• Campus-based examinations (Cohort 2) yielded higher engagement and positive experiences compared to online (Cohort 3).
• Online examination participants valued the chat function, despite lower overall satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• Campus-based interactive examinations are more effective for nursing students.
• Student preparation and sufficient completion time are crucial for successful interactive assessments.
• Online interactive examinations may require further refinement to enhance engagement.