The effects of lecture-demonstration with self-learning methods on

New teaching methods have not received much attention in practical and laboratory classes for nursing students. With respect to the importance of nursing education, improving traditional methods of teaching and application of new methods are of concern. The aim of this study was to compare two teacher centered and active learning methods- lecturedemonstration with self-learning- in working with microscope in a group of nursing students in Shahid Beheshti Faculty of nursing and midwifery, Tehran Iran.

50 freshman students were selected and randomly assigned in two groups.After completing a demographic questionnaire, the students were taught microscopic application as a part of their physiology laboratory course. The contents were the same in the two groups but, in the self-learning method, the students were given educational pamphlet. Before and after session, students took part in an evaluation test for their learning. In addition, they were tested after 8 months for recalling evaluation. Data were analyzed by SPSS statistical software.

Findings showed that students ’ scores increased significantly in lecturedemonstration(25.41) and self-learning(19.16) groups. In addition, no significant difference was found in the recalling of the two groups. In lecture-demonstration group, most of the students leveled on good and excellent echelon(62.5%) and in self-learning on intermediate and low echelon(68%).

In general, both methods were effective in learning and recalling of nursing students with no significant difference.