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A study of the impact of computer assisted self -regulated learning techniques on science teaching for nursing students

Betty L Elder, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether computer-assisted self-regulated learning strategies are effective tools to improve nursing student performance in science courses. Improved performance was hoped to lead to decreased anxiety and increased self-efficacy. This study investigated the use of computer-assisted self-regulated learning techniques to improve learning outcomes in a science course for nurses. The three-phase study consisted of a survey phase, a comparison of elaborate feedback and simple feedback, as well as a comparison of computer exam scores to paper and pencil exam scores, and a comparison of the concepts from the paper and pencil examinations with computer exam concepts in a retention phase. Seventy-five graduate nursing students participated in this study. Initially, they were given a survey to determine their attitudes and beliefs about the course content. The initial survey assessed (1) student beliefs about the importance of course objectives and perceived relevance of content to their clinical nursing skills; (2) time constraints encountered by students, and (3) perceived self-efficacy in an advanced science course. The modeling/performance phase was two-fold. This phase compared exam scores from computer-assisted feedback to outcomes in paper and pencil/worksheet format. In addition to comparison with paper and pencil where students received no feedback, the computer tutorials provided two types of feedback, simple and elaborate. Feedback performance of elaborate explanations of answers was compared to simple verification feedback of correct/incorrect. In the final phase, students had the opportunity to self-reflect and make adjustments in their knowledge for both the computer tutorials and the non-computer worksheets to determine potential effects that the feedback has on retention of concepts. The outcomes for this phase were to measure performance on a comprehensive final exam. These outcomes were compared to the scores students obtained on the unit examinations over the topics covered.

Subject Area

Educational technology|Nursing

Recommended Citation

Elder, Betty L, "A study of the impact of computer assisted self -regulated learning techniques on science teaching for nursing students" (2005). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI3201764.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI3201764

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