INTRODUCTION:

Education is a social process and medium for the acquisition of relevant knowledge, skills, and attitudes for survival. In a developing region like Nigeria, the significance of teaching and learning to achieve academic goals and objectives cannot be overemphasized. Hence, teaching is considered effective only if it results in learning^1,2.

An educational approach, technique, or plan of activities or interactions in the classroom intended to achieve certain teaching objectives is referred to as a "teaching strategy³. The knowledge that comes from teaching is more knowledge of how to do or perform specific tasks. Thus, the modification of behaviour as a product of teaching can occur following newly acquired skills, knowledge, perception, facts, principles, and new information⁴. Teaching methods may include the following: lecture, discussion, practical demonstration, clinical practice, group discussion, project clinical round, field trip, role play, group work, patient/client care study, role modelling, tutorial, clinical conference, seminar, and problem-solving technique. However, the most used are demonstration, lecture, and discussion⁵.

In both professional practice and educational settings, the nursing profession has always embraced innovation.. Although nursing care has changed significantly over the past four decades, methods used to clinically train nursing students have not⁶. Teaching in nursing education today pose challenges for nurse educators that are different from those encountered in the past when the training was only done in the hospitals. This has increased the complexity, rapidly changing and challenging atmosphere in nursing practice. Nursing training requires experienced nurse teachers, clinical supervisors, infrastructure, equipment and qualified students to meet up with the challenges in nursing practice. Where these are lacking, there is bound to be lapses and incompetence in the acquisition of nursing skills which will be translated in practice⁷.

The clinical setting is an essential element of the successful preparation of registered nurses. The clinical experiences gained in these clinical settings provide nursing students with the opportunity to combine cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills⁸. The clinical placement environment is dyadic. It covers the ward environment, culture, complexity of care, and interactions between students, clinical personnel, and school employees in terms of supervision⁹, in their study of teaching in nursing education, identified that students feel anxious in their initial clinical placement, worried about giving the wrong information to the patients, and lack integration of theory into clinical practice. According to¹⁰, nurse educators must make sure that clinical placements take place in settings that are favourable to learning and foster the personal and professional growth of nursing students.

Student-centered learning becomes a pioneer in the development of learning approaches. In this approach, student activities are important indicators of the learning process and the quality of the learning product. According to¹¹, teaching can be approached as teacher-centered (Lecture, simulation, and direct teaching), student-centered (role play, project, problem solving, and inquiry method), or teacher-student-centered (discussion, demonstration, and field trip). With the belief that it improves the learner's attitude and performance on their topic, several educational institutions are using a student-centered teaching style¹¹. However, making a generic lesson plan with structure, an instructional aim, and an explanation of planned tactics is a great way to promote learning¹. The Dreyfus model of skill acquisition¹² may be adopted since it aims at upgrading the students from novice to expert by identifying the training needs at each stage and drilling the students to acquire those needed skills before stepping forward to the next stage. Therefore, there is no one teaching strategy that is sufficient for effective teaching and learning; rather, the optimum teaching approach is the combination of all teaching methods, considering the students' talent, capacity, and willingness ¹³.On this ground, there is a need to ascertain the students perception of the teaching methods utilized by nurse educators and the reasons for the students preference for the identified teaching methods in nursing institutions in South-East Nigeria.

AIM OF THE STUDY:

The study aimed to ascertain the student’s perception of the utilization of teaching methods by nurse educators in nursing education institutions in southeast Nigeria.

RESEARCH HYPOTHESES:

There is no significant influence between socio-demographic profile of nursing students (gender, age and year of study) and their perception of their teacher’s level of utilization of teaching methods in nursing education institutions in south-East Nigeria

MATERIAL AND METHOD:

Study design:

A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to survey students of tertiary institutions in the southeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria

Study population:

The study population was all students in their 2^nd and 3^rd years of nursing training in nursing institutions in south-eastern Nigeria. The total population of students was 1817. Student nurses in Abia were 201, Anambra 572, Ebonyi 223, Enugu 361, and Imo 460, respectively.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. The participant must be a student's nurse

2. The student nurse must have spent at least one year in school

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Preliminary training studies (PTS) students

2. First-year students

Sampling procedure:

A multistage sampling technique was used for the selection of the students from the southeast zone nursing institutions for the study. Illustratively, out of the five states that make up south east Nigeria, simple random sampling was adopted to select three states for easy coverage, and all the nursing offering schools from the selected states were included in the study. To ensure that the sample is representative of the population, a stratified sampling technique was used, which involved the division of the population into strata. Each group was regarded as a stratum. The determination of the number selected from each of the strata was based on the proportion of students in a particular stratum. To the total population under study, hence the name stratified proportionate sampling technique¹⁴. After determining the sample size from each class, the respondents were randomly selected from the class by balloting, which is sampling with replacement. The researcher wrote "YES and NO" on a piece of paper, folded them, and put them in a basket. After any picking, the paper was folded and dropped back into the basket, mixing properly before another selection. Students with yes were included in the study. Balloting with replacement ensures that the students are given equal chances of being selected without bias.

Instrument for Data collection:

A researcher-developed questionnaire titled "Preferred Strategies among Students in Nursing Education Institutions" (PSASNE) was used for data collection. (PSASNE) has four sections. Section A comprises the students demographic characteristics. Section B contains 14 items that address students perceptions of the utilisation of teaching strategies. Section C contains 13 items that address reasons for preferring certain teaching methods. Items of the questionnaire were constructed on a four-point Likert scale, which the respondents rated according to their own dispositions. The items were rated by using 4, 3, 2, and 1, which were interpreted as follows: 4: strongly agree; 3: agree; 2: disagree; and 1: strongly disagree. A total of 327 copies of the questionnaire were distributed to the students, and 100% were returned. The administration and collection of the questionnaires took four months, and the decision rule of 50% and above represents the utilization of teaching methods.

Ethical considerations:

The Human Research and Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Health Science and Technology at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, granted ethical permission for this study after receiving a working outline of the work that included the study's goals and instruments. The administrators of the chosen schools of study gave their approval, and the respondents gave their informed consent. The secrecy of the information they provided was guaranteed.

Validity and reliability:

The instrument was carefully scrutinised for face and content validity. Face and content validity determined the lucidity, appropriateness, precision, and relevance of the content of the instrument to the objectives of the study. The coefficient alphas for the prevailing teaching approaches used by nurse educators in the southeast and the preferred teaching method among students are 0.74 and 0.77, respectively.

Method of Data Collection:

The selected schools were visited for the administration of the questionnaire to the students who met the inclusion criteria with the help of two trained research assistants. The research assistants were tutored on the ethics of administering the instruments so that they explained them to the respondents and promised confidentiality of the information. The questionnaire was administered to the students in their classrooms during break time. Out of 327 copies of the questionnaire administered to the students, all were returned, giving a total return rate of 100%. The duration of data collection was four months.

Data analysis:

Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21. Frequency counts, percentages, and mean percentage scores were calculated to summarize the students demographic data and their responses to the questionnaire. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to test the hypotheses. A significant level of 0.05 was set.

RESULT:

Table 1.0: Socio-demographic variables of the Students Nurses

S/N	Variables	Class	Frequency	Percentage
1	Gender	Male	55	16.8%
1	Gender	Female	272	83.2%
2	Age (years)	16-20	82	25.1%
		21-25	178	54.4%
		26-30	50	15.3%
		31 and above	17	5.2%
3	Year of study	Year 2	172	52.6%
3	Year of study	Year 3	155	47.4%

Table 1 shows the demographic characteristics of the respondents.

Majority (83.2%) of the students were female while (16.8%) were Male. Respondents aged 21-25 years had the highest percentage (54.4%) of response, followed by the aged 16-20 years (25.1%), then aged 26-30 years with (15.3%), lastly, were the aged 31, constituting the smallest percentage (5.2%). in term of years of training, students in their second year training had the highest percentage (52%), while the third year had the lowest percentage (47.4%).

Table 2: perception of nursing students about utilization of teaching methods by their teachers in the nursing education institutions

Utilized Teaching methods	Agree f (%)	Disagree f (%)	Remark
My teacher allows me to contribute ideas spontaneously during lectures.	314(96.0)	13(4.0)	Mostly utilized
My teacher discusses topics with students during lecture.	312(98.2)	6(1.8)	Mostly utilized
My teacher practically demonstrate what he taught me in the class	290(88.7)	37(11.3)	Mostly utilized
My teacher uses lecture method to teach me in the class.	263(80.4)	64(19.6)	Mostly utilized
My teacher introduces games whenever he is teaching me in the class.	102(31.2)	225(68.8)	Non utilized
My teacher imitates representation of the functioning of one system by means of functioning of another during lectures.	219(67.0)	108(33.0)	Mostly utilized
My teacher allows me to connect ideas to existing knowledge by creating visual map of the connection during lectures.	241(73.7)	86(26.3)	Mostly utilized
I am asked by my teacher to dramatize an event or situation during teaching.	211(64.5)	116(35.5)	Mostly utilized
My teacher shares contents of many topics to students to teach during lectures.	268(82.0)	59(18.0)	Mostly utilized
My teacher presents realistic patient scenarios, ask questions and expect me to search for holistic answers during teaching.	258(78.9)	69(21.1)	Mostly utilized
My teacher organizes clinical conferences as a method of teaching.	231(70.6)	96(29.4)	Mostly utilized
My teacher ask me to research on a topic, later he creates a room for all students to meet in order to criticize information gotten from individual students?	274(83.8)	53(16.2)	Mostly utilized
My teacher makes me to feel as a part of team to achieve the same goal.	302(92.4)	25(7.6)	Mostly utilized
My teacher ask me to search for a topic in the internet to get more information about the topic.	319(97.6)	8(2.4)	Mostly utilized
Total	1105%	289.2%
Mean percentage score	78.9%	21.1%

Decision rule:> 50% utilized,<50% not utilized

Table 3: Reasons for students’ preference of identified teaching methods.

Identified Teaching Methods	Agree f (%)	Disagree f (%)
Brainstorming helps to acquire new knowledge and skills.	319(97.6)	8(2.4)
Discussion helps students to establish rapport	303(92.7)	24(7.3)
Demonstration enhances practicability in nursing training	318(97.2)	9(2.8)
Games increase collaborative skills.	319(97.6)	8(2.4)
Lecture covers a large amount of material quickly.	319(97.6)	8(2.4)
Simulation provides innovative educational experiences	318(97.2)	9(2.8)
Concept mapping enable students to develop alternative potential idea.	317(96.9)	10(3.1)
Online learning helps students to learn more independently.	316(96.6)	11(3.4)
Role playing helps students to exchange their ideas	322(98.5)	5(1.5)
Team based learning helps to enhance students interactiveness	322(98.5)	5(1.5)
Jigsaw based learning helps to teach content of many topics.	319(97.6)	8(2.4)
Debating helps students to develop critical thinking skill	321(98.2)	6(1.8)
Problem based learning improves clinical reasoning.	318(97.2)	9(2.8)
Total	(1263.7)	(33.2)
Mean percentage score	97.2 %	2.8%

Decision Rule:> 50% preferred,<50% not preferred.

Figure 1 shows the percentages of the students that participated from the Nursing Education institutions. Data shows that (12.54%) was from school of nursing Ihiala, 11.93% from school of nursing Mbano, while school of nursing Amachara and Nkpor recorded 9.79% respectively, 9.17% from school of nursing Amaigbo, 8.56% from school of nursing Emekuku. NAUTH Nnewi and Iyienu also recorded 8.26% each,7.95% from school of nursing Amichi, 7.34% from school of nursing Umulogho and the smallest part (6.42%) was recorded from school of nursing Umuahia.

Table 2 shows the perception of nursing students about the utilisation of teaching methods by their teachers in nursing institutions. The data representation of 328 students who participated in the study indicated that most of the teaching methods were more than 50% utilized except for the introduction of game which was 31.2%, mean percentage score of 78.8% was expresses as agreed to the teaching methods utilized. Hence, the student nurses perceived that the majority of the teaching approaches were mostly utilized.

Table 3 indicates reasons for students’ preference for the identified teaching methods of their nurse educators. The data indicated that students preferred all the reasons for the identified teaching methods. The mean percentage score is 97.2%, which is greater than 50%, showing that students had all reasons for preference for all identified teaching methods enumerated.

Table 4: Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis Tests assessing the influence of socio-demographic profiles of the nursing students on their perception about their teachers’ level of utilization of teaching methods.

S/N	Variables	Class	Frequency	U/K	P
1	Gender	Male	144.59	6323.00	0.11
1	Gender	Female	167.25
2	Age (years)	16-20	180.35	11.30	0.01*
		21-25	167.58
		26-30	144.04
		31 and above	106.38
3	Year of study	Year 2	165.41	13087.50	0.78
		Year 3	162.44

*= Significant p<0.05

Table 4 shows comparison of socio demographic profile of nursing students (gender, age and years of study) and their perception about their teacher’s level of utilization of teaching methods.

There is no significant influence between the gender of nursing students and their perception of their teacher’s level of utilisation of teaching methods.Since the calculated P value (0.11) for the gender of nursing students is greater than the P value (0.05), the null hypothesis is not accepted.

There is no significant influence between the age of nursing students and their perception of their teacher’s level of utilisation of teaching methods. The calculated P value (0.01) age of nursing students is less than the P value (0.05), the null hypothesis is accepted,

There is no significant influence between the year of study of nursing students and their perception of their teacher’s level of utilisation of teaching methods. Since the calculated P value (0.78) for the year of study of nursing students is less than the P value (0.05), the null hypothesis is not accepted

DISCUSSION:

The Study revealed a mean percentage score of 78.9%, which implies students perceived nurse educators as mostly using all the teaching methods enumerated except the introduction of games during teaching. The finding is not in agreement with the findings of¹⁵, which attributed the poor performance of students in English to the teacher's method of teaching. The majority (98.2%) of students in the study perceived the discussion method as the most used teaching method by nurse educators, followed by 97.6% who agreed that nurse educators asked them to search for a topic on the internet to get more information. This finding is in agreement with that of^16,17, whose study revealed a higher mean score for students taught by teachers who utilised all teaching methods, especially the discussion method. The study recommended that nurse educators be encouraged to utilise all teaching methods, especially discussion and online methods, which attracted attention and facilitated learning that led to improved performance. Other percentages of students and their perceptions about the utilisation of teaching methods were as follows: Brainstorming (96%), team-based (92.4%), practical demonstration( 88.7%), debating (83.8%), jigsaw-based learning (82%), lecture method (80.4%), problem-based teaching method( 78.9%), visual map (73.7%), organising clinical conferences (70.6%), simulation( 67%), dramatisation (64.5%), and introduction of games (31.2%) showed that the students perceived that most nurse educators used all the teaching methods enumerated except the introduction of games during teaching. This finding contradicts the result of the study by¹⁸, which revealed that teachers utilised games in teaching, which increased student motivation and engagement and improved interaction and collaboration activities. The findings of this study are in disagreement with the findings of¹⁹, which revealed that students perceptions of their teachers ability to use appropriate instructional methods are low. He stated that more than one teaching method should be appropriately adopted in a single lesson presentation by a teacher so as to carry every student along and enhance interest in what is being taught and learned.²⁰ said in his study that a student's self-concept towards a teacher is influenced by the perceptions the student has about that instructor, and this eventually affects his academic performance at large.

The findings indicated that the two main reasons the majority (98.5%) of the students had for their preference for identified teaching methods (role playing and team-based learning) were exchange of ideas and enhancement of interactiveness. Other reasons for students preference for identified teaching methods and their percentages were as follows: Debating helps in the development of critical thinking skills (98.2%), and brainstorming helps to acquire new knowledge and skills (97.6%). Games increase collaborative skills (97.6%), lectures cover a large amount of material quickly (97.6%), and jigsaw learning helps to teach the content of so many topics (97.6%). Demonstration enhances practicability in training (97.2%), simulation provides innovative educational experiences (97.2%), and problem-based learning improves clinical reasoning (97.2%). Concept mapping enables students to develop alternative potential ideas (96.9%), online learning enables students to learn more independently (96.6%), and discussion helps students improve performance (92.7%). The mean percentage score is 97.2%, showing that students had all reasons for preference for all identified teaching methods enumerated. This is in agreement with²¹, whose findings revealed that the major reason for the preference of one teaching method over another is the enhancement of interactiveness, whereas²² disagreed, stating that many teachers and students prefer question and answer because it helps the students solve problems, remember old material, and evaluate progress.

Concerning the test of hypotheses, the result showed that there is no significant relationship between the demographic profile (gender, years of study, except age) and their perceptions about their teacher’s level of utilisation of teaching methods. which implies age is the only potent demographic variable that influences student nurses perceptions of the level of utilization of the enumerated teaching method used by the nurse educators

LIMITATIONS:

The respondent for this study were all from the south east region of Nigeria, hence, generalising the outcome of this study will be bias, therefore, it is recommended that the study be done in other regions of Nigeria for proper comparisons and generalizations.

CONCLUSION:

The student nurses perceived all the teaching methods enumerated were used except for the introduction of games during teaching, and the reason for the preferred teaching methods by student was that it enhances exchange of ideas and interactiveness. in addition age was the only potent demographic variable of the student that influenced their perceived teaching methods. Hence any method adopted by the nurse educators should be well accepted by the student and not teacher preference.

RECOMMENDATION:

Based on the finding the following recommendation was suggested Conduct student appraisal of teaching,method to identify the most effective strategies for knowledge retention and understanding. Ensure adequate availability of teaching aids for nurses educators to enhance their teaching capabilities. Create a teaching and learning friendly environment to promote effective knowledge impartation and a stress free learning experience.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT:

The authors of this paper declare that there have been no conflicts of interest.

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Received on 29.08.2023 Modified on 25.09.2023

Int. J. Nur. Edu. and Research. 2023; 11(4):275-280.

DOI: 10.52711/2454-2660.2023.00062