Comparison of HESI Pharmacology Exam Scores Utilizing “Active Learning Classroom Techniques” in a Baccalaureate Nursing Program

The use of  active learning environments have been identified as settings which promote student engagement with opportunities for students to be motivated to learn course materials, have a sense of accomplishment, and take ownership in their learning experience. The purpose of study was to evaluate if nursing students taking a pharmacology course utilizing innovative teaching strategies in an active learning classroom environment would demonstrate increased HESI Pharmacology exam scores as compared to students who completed the pharmacology course in an online platform.  The research question is: Do traditional nursing students taking a pharmacology course utilizing active learning teaching strategies/techniques demonstrate higher scores on the HESI Pharmacology specialty exam than students who completed the pharmacology course in an online platform?

This comparative study utilized a convenience sample of baccalaureate nursing students in their second semester of nursing that completed the Pharmacology course during the spring session (2014) after completing both sessions of pharmacology. The entire research group was composed of N=39 students both traditional and online students as participants of this study. The active learning classroom group had (N=24) students and online platform group had ( N=15). The overall HESI outcome score of the active learning group (N=24) was compared to the online platform group (N=15) to note overall HESI score outcomes/differences.  All the students completed this normalized computer-based pharmacology exam from a national testing company at the end of the course of which the scores were evaluated and assessed.

An independent t-test was used to compare the mean scores on the national normalized computer-based pharmacology test for the active learning group and the online platform group. The mean score for the active learning group (954, n=24) and (online instruction group 866 ,n=15) which showed a scoring difference of 88 points. To establish Homogeneity of Variances, using Minitab 17, demonstrated significance (p<0.046), indicating that the variances, were statistically significant at (alpha=0.05). This further shows the homogeneity of variance assumption for the t-test was supported. The conclusion for this study shows pharmacology students engaged in active learning teaching strategies (M=953, SD =140.76) had significant higher HESI scores than those who took the pharmacology online (M = 856, SD = 218.94), t (21 = 1.38, p< .05, d = .53). Summary aggregate data showed active learning group (N=24) had a range of HESI scores (707-1295) and online platform group (N=15) had a range of HESI scores (478 – 1186).

Preliminary data from this study supports the use of active learning teaching environment and teaching strategies to enhance student success while providing better preparation for the Pharmacology HESI specialty exam. With this small sample size, the results cannot be generalized until future studies with larger cohort groups can be analyzed. This study will hopefully inspire faculty to utilize teaching methods that will develop critical thinking, encourage ownership of learning from the students, and give new opportunities for engagement and excitement in the classroom. Active learning provides an experience that can be shared by the faculty and student, and further will shift the focus from faculty as lecturer to facilitator. Continued ongoing assessment and evaluation of future exam scores between the two groups of pharmacology sections (traditional active learning and online platform) will need to be examined to identify future nursing education implications and considerations.