Learning Objective #1: Identify three methods of incorporating cooperative and active teaching/learning strategies in the large nursing classroom setting

Learning Objective #2: Identify two ways that instructor use of active/cooperative learning strategies in the nursing classroom can impact student preference for these strategies

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Problem: Although active and cooperative learning in the classroom has been associated with deeper, more elaborative student processing and learning of content, faculty teaching large nursing classes often continue to use lecture as the primary instruction strategy.

Research question: What is the impact of incorporating active and cooperative teaching/learning strategies in a large nursing class on student learning practices and preferences?

Research Methods: A convenience sample of 104 nursing students enrolled in Nursing Fundamentals was divided into two groups: group T participated in traditional classroom instruction and group A participated in cooperative and active learning strategies. Both groups completed the same homework assignments and participated in group testing activities. At the beginning and end of the course, students ranked the importance of a set of teaching strategies (both active and passive), as well as a set of learning strategies (both surface and elaborative). A score was developed based on the type and rank of strategies selected.

Results: Eighty-seven complete data pairs were analyzed. Both student groups ranked passive and surface strategies higher than active/elaborative strategies. However, within group comparisons revealed that group T (traditional) had a significantly lower preference for active teaching methods and a higher preference for passive teaching methods at semester end, while group A (active) had a significantly higher preference for elaborative study strategies at semester end. Between-group comparisons revealed that group T had a higher preference for passive teaching strategies and group A had a higher preference for active teaching strategies at semester end, a difference that was not present at the onset of the semester.

Conclusions: Students had a higher preference for active and cooperative teaching strategies after having experienced them in class. However, both groups of students continued to rely predominantly on passive/surface strategies in independent study—a finding worthy of additional investigation.