Related Experiment Videos
Why do some nursing students find their science courses difficult?
1School of Nursing Studies, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia.
The Journal of Nursing Education
|June 1, 1993
Summary
Underperforming nursing students perceive science courses as difficult, doubt their abilities, and question its relevance. Successful students differ significantly from unsuccessful ones in their perceptions.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Science Pedagogy
Background:
- Undergraduate nursing students' academic performance in science courses is crucial for their future careers.
- Identifying factors influencing student success or failure in science is essential for curriculum development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the perceptions of science course difficulty and relevance among undergraduate nursing students categorized by exam performance.
- To identify specific reasons for perceived difficulty among different student groups.
Main Methods:
- Undergraduate nursing students were grouped into 'successful,' 'unsuccessful,' and 'middle' based on their first science exam.
- A survey assessed perceived course difficulty, reasons for difficulty, self-perceived ability, and course relevance.
- Kruskal-Wallis H statistic was used to compare responses between the three groups.
Main Results:
- Significant differences were found between the 'successful' and 'unsuccessful' student groups.
- Unsuccessful students perceived the science course as more difficult.
- Unsuccessful students reported lower self-efficacy in science and questioned its relevance to nursing.
Conclusions:
- Student perceptions of science course difficulty, self-efficacy, and relevance are linked to academic performance.
- Interventions targeting unsuccessful students should address perceived difficulty, build science self-efficacy, and highlight course relevance to nursing practice.