The Relationship Between Undergraduate, Baccalaureate Nursing Student Engagement and Use of Active Learning Strategies in the Classroom

Abstract

Nursing schools are facing demands to admit and graduate increasing numbers of students to meet the needs of the future healthcare system. Nursing schools must therefore admit, retain and graduate qualified applicants, able to provide care in complex healthcare environments. Educators are challenged to identify the best educational practices to retain and engage learners in the learning process. Research has indicated that student engagement contributes to student success in college. Learning environments may influence student engagement through the use of active learning strategies in the classroom. The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore the extent of engagement reported by nursing students in classrooms and determine relationships among student engagement, demographic and academic variables and learning environments. Astin’s (1985) Input-Environments-Output model provided the framework for this study, linking student characteristics, and student engagement in learning with outcomes of learning. A sample of 347 undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students from 5 mid-western schools of nursing completed the Adapted Engaged Learning Index (AELI) and the Active Learning Environments Scale (ALES), measuring their level of engagement and perceived degree of active learning in the classroom, respectively. Subjects also provided demographic data including age, academic level, type and number of hours worked off campus, and prior learning experience. T-test and ANOVA analyses were conducted to compare group differences on demographic, learning environments (active, passive and mixed) and levels of engagement. Results indicated a significant (p≤.001) difference in the level of student engagement related to the perceived active learning occurring in the classroom. Students in active and mixed learning environments reported higher engagement levels than those in passive learning environments. Students over 25 years (p=.003), students with higher GPA’s (p≤ .05) and junior students (p≤ .001) reported significantly higher engagement scores than their counterparts. Findings from this study indicate that student engagement in the learning process may be positively influenced by an active learning environment in the classroom.