Comparison of the Effects of E-learning Blended with Collaborative Learning and Lecture-Based Teaching Approaches on Academic Self-Efficacy among Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

INTRODUCTION: Applying new technologies in teaching has led to the phenomenon of blended learning (BL), which is currently flourishing as a specific requirement for higher self-efficacy and success in increasingly complex healthcare environments. Although various forms of novel education are on the rise worldwide, the effects of electronic learning (EL), combined with collaborative learning (CL) and lecture-based teaching (LBT) approaches, have not yet been validated on academic self-efficacy among undergraduate nursing students.

METHODS: Utilizing a pre-/post-test comparison-group design, this quasi-experimental study was conducted on 70 undergraduate nursing students of Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran, selected by the census sampling technique in 2020. The eligible participants were allocated to intervention groups, viz., the EL+LBT group (n=34) and the EL+CL group (n=36). A learning management system (LMS) was used for both intervention groups along with the LBT approach, and then 10 steps were integrated into the CL approach during 14 sessions, lasting 150 minutes. Afterward, a demographic information form and the College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES) were administered to collect the data. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, independent-samples t -test, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).

RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in the CASE scores between the students were taught using the EL+LBT (113.76±16.98) and the EL+CL approaches (107.66±16.70) before the interventions (P=0.136). However, the CL+EL approaches resulted in the highest changes in the CASE scores at the pre- (107.66±16.70) and post-test (119.08±25.49) stages (P=0.019). Moreover, the female students attending the CL+EL classrooms experienced significantly positive differences in their CASE scores (127.12±30.34), compared to the males (112.65±19.30) (P=0.011).

CONCLUSION: Blending the EL and CL approaches significantly promoted CASE among the undergraduate nursing students in this study by providing sufficient collaboration, essential educational equipment, and better technical support.