Background & Objective : Studies have shown that teacher-centered teaching methods like lecture would make the students inactive and limit their ability in critical thinking, decision making and self assertion, and don’t have enough educational efficacy. This study was conducted to assess the effect of three educational methods including lecture, question and answer, and student seminar, on students’ anxiety, educational progression and learning satisfaction.
Methods : A quasi-experimental study was conducted on a group of 40 nursing students. The course content of medical surgical nursing II was divided into three parts and each part was taught using a different method. At the beginning of teaching with each of these three methods, students’ anxiety and at the end of each section, students’ satisfaction were assessed and a theoretical exam about the contents was given. Then, students’ anxiety, learning satisfaction and educational progression were compared.
Results : Among all students, 52.5% were female with mean (±SD) age of 23.57 (±2.06) years. Mean score of students’ achievement was 12.62 using lecture, 14.80 using question and answer while it was 15.10 having student seminars. There were significant differences between them (p=0.0001). However, Post Hoc analysis did not show a significant difference between the mean scores in the second and third methods. Mean score of students’ satisfaction was 3.35, 3.65, and 5.10 for the first, second and third methods accordingly. The students were more satisfied using the second and third methods (p=0.0001). The first method induced the least amount of anxiety while the second method induced the most. Third method induced moderate amount of anxiety. Anxiety decreased significantly at the end of the second and third methods (p=0.02 and p=0.0001 respectively).
Conclusion : Involving students in teaching-learning activities and preparing the situation can lead to educational progression and more students’ learning satisfaction. However, increased level of expectancy from the students in active teaching methods can increase anxiety which could be diminished by necessary support. Therefore involving the students in teaching activities is suggested.
Keywords: Teaching method, Educational progression, Anxiety, Satisfaction, Learning
