Investigating the effect of scenario-based learning through group discussion and question and answer methods on the learning achievement of nursing students: A comparative study

Scenario-based learning provides students with the opportunity to interact with each other and engage in the situation through applying active learning strategies. The present study intended to compare scenario-based learning with two methods of group discussion and question and answer on the learning achievement of nursing students.

This interventional-comparative study was conducted during the first semester of the academic year 2018-2019, with 94 nursing students in the 6th semester who were randomly assigned to two groups. In the control group, case scenarios were taught through question and answer method while in the test group, the scenario cases were taught through group discussion method. The final test score of Nursing Care at Home course was compared as a marker of learning achievement between the two groups. To analyze the data, independent t-test was applied to compare the scores of the two groups, covariance analysis test was performed to adjust the variables and to investigate the relationship between demographic traits (age and average score) with learning achievements Pearson Correlation Coefficient was implemented using SPSS 18.

Analysis of covariance by adjusting the variables in the two groups detected that the obtained scores from the final exam as a marker of learning achievement had a significant relationship with the teaching method (P-value< 0.05) therefore the average score of the group with discussion method was higher than that of the group with question and answer method in scenario-based learning.

Scenario - based learning with group discussion methods can facilitate and promote students' learning.