Using ‘concept cartoons’ in combination with a digital student-response system to support learning in Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry in nursing education: A teaching strategy to promote student-active learning

Bakgrunn: Gode kunnskaper i anatomi, fysiologi og biokjemi (AFB) er nødvendig for at sykepleierstudenter skal kunne utvikle et klinisk blikk. Resultater fra nasjonal eksamen i AFB viser at mange sykepleierstudenter strever med dette emnet. Studentaktive læringsformer i undervisningen kan bidra til økt kognitivt engasjement hos studentene. Bruk av concept cartoons (CC) sammen med digitalt student-respons-system (SRS) kan anvendes som undervisningsstrategi for å fremme studentaktivitet i store studentgrupper. CC består av illustrasjoner som presenterer både vitenskapelig aksepterte påstander og feilforestillinger om sentrale begreper og prosesser i AFB. Hensikt: Hensikten med denne studien var å beskrive hvordan CC i kombinasjon med digital SRS kan benyttes som en studentaktiv læringsform i ulike undervisningsformer for å støtte sykepleierstudenters læring i AFB. Metode: Studien har et kvasieksperimentelt deskriptivt kvantitativt design. CC ble anvendt sammen med SRS i digital undervisning ved sykepleierutdanningen ved tre universiteter/høgskoler høsten 2020 (n = 92–671). Anvendelsen av CC fulgte tenk–par–del-modellen, og studentene stemte på samme CC tre ganger i samme undervisningsøkt. Data ble analysert ved bruk av frekvensanalyser, Cochrans Q og Chi-square test. Resultat: Det var en økning i prosentandelen studenter som valgte det beste svaralternativet mellom de tre avstemningene. For de fleste CC var det en særlig økning i prosentandelen beste svar ved andre avstemning, etter at svaralternativene hadde blitt diskutert med medstudenter. Konklusjon: CC kan støtte læringen av sentrale begreper og fysiologiske prosesser. Undervisningsstrategien med CC i kombinasjon med digital SRS kan egne seg til å fremme studentaktiv læring, særlig i forelesning.Background:Sufficient knowledge in anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry (AFB) is necessary for nursing stu-dents to develop a clinical gaze. Results from the national examination show that many students struggle with thissubject. Student-active learning can contribute to increased cognitive engagement among students. In this context,the use of concept cartoons (CC) together with a digital student-response system (SRS) can be appropriate. CC con-sists of illustrations presenting both scientifically accepted claims and misconceptions about concepts and pro-cesses in AFB.Aim:The study aimed to describe how CC, in combination with digital SRS, can be used as a student-active learn-ing strategy in various forms of teaching, to support nursing students’learning in AFB.Methods:The study has a quasi-experimental descriptive quantitative design. CC was used together with SRS indigital lectures in nursing education at three universities/colleges in autumn 2020, n=92–671. The application follo-wed the Think-Pair-Share model, and the students voted on the same CC three times during the lesson. Frequencyanalyses, Cochran’s Q and Chi-square test were applied for data analyses.Results:There was an increase in the proportion of students who chose the best response option between the threepolls. For most CCs, there was a particular increase in the proportion of best responses at the second poll, after theresponse options had been discussed with fellow students.Conclusion:CC might support the learning of concepts and physiological processes. The teaching strategy withCC in combination with digital SRS can be suitable for promoting student-active learning, especially in lecturespublishedVersio

Student Response Systems: Do nursing students prefer coloured paper or digital solutions?

Many components of our courses are replaced by more flexible formats accessible via a computer. The time where students and teacher meet each other face to face is used to methods with lots of student activity. The aim of the study was to investigate different formats for interaction via student response systems (SRS) in a large class environment where some students participate live, other via a live video connection. A simple SRS system using coloured pieces of paper was compared with a digital system where students used tablets, smartphones or computers