Effect of Thinking Maps versus Traditional Lectures on the Academic Self-Efficacy, Achievement, and Satisfaction of Undergraduate Maternity Nursing Students

Abstract

Background:The enhancement of critical and creative thinking denotes an essential objective of higher educational institutions. Creative thinking inquiries by students may be integrated with thinking maps. Aim: To investigate the effects of thinking maps versus traditional lectures on the academic self-efficacy, achievement, and satisfaction of undergraduate maternity nursing students. Design: A randomized controlled trial was performed on 176 students registered in maternity and gynecological nursing course at the Faculty of Nursing in Mansoura University, Egypt. Sampling: A simple random sample was utilized. Participating students were randomly assigned into two equal groups, with eighty-eight students in each group. The intervention group was instructed through thinking maps, and the control group was taught via traditional lectures. Results: The group instructed through thinking maps exhibited a higher level of academic self-efficacy, a higher academic achievement score, and more satisfaction than the traditional lecture group. The statistical differences between the groups were highly significant. Conclusion: The study hypotheses were accepted, indicating that thinking maps are effective as teaching strategies and exert significant positive effects on the academic self-efficacy, achievement, and satisfaction experienced by undergraduate maternity nursing students. This study recommended that thinking maps should be applied in other educational courses to enhance the self-efficacy, academic achievement, and satisfaction of students.