The First Year Nursing Students’ Achievement and Critical Thinking in Local Wisdom Course Using Problem Based Learning Process

Abstract

The purpose of this one group—pre test post test design classroom research was to examine learning achievement, critical thinking and satisfaction of first year nurse students at school of nursing during academic year 2011. In the research activity, 94 students participated in three weeks for each scenario in Local Wisdom and Health Care which composed of 4 scenarios. Problem based learning process were included the preparation of facilitators, preparation of learners, and problem/scenario based assignments. The instruments composed of 1) 135 items, 4 multiple choices test which were covered behavioral objectives and blue print of test and validated by course lecturers 2) opinion evaluation form, open ended questionnaire and 3) the critical thinking questionnaire, 80 items in five domains which are Inference, Recognition of Assumption, Deduction, Interpretation, and Evaluation of Argument with internal consistency of .73. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, percentile, t test and $\chi ^{2}$ test. It was found that the highest score of learning achievement was 88.79 % while the lowest score was 70.33 %, average learning achievement score was 80.60 $(\pm 3.47)\%$. The highest grade levels were B+ and B equally (41.49 %). Students demonstrated higher overall critical thinking $(49.62 \pm 5.78)$ after undergone problem based learning process than before the problem based learning process $(46.69 \pm 6.00)$ statistically significance $(\text{ t}\,=\,4.443, p\,<\,.05)$. Inference and Recognition of Assumption domain after PBL process were better than their own thoughts before PBL process significantly (t = 2.288, $p\,<\,.05$; t = 6.287, $p\,<\,.05$, respectively). The ability of critical thinking was found that the high, moderate and low level (percentile $>75, 25-75$ and $<25$) after PBL were difference from the ability before the process significantly $(\chi ^{2}=12.219, p\,<\,.05)$.