Impact of Face-to-Face Instruction to Nursing Students Learning Engagement

James Malce Alo^* and Neama Mohamed Fouad Kamel
^*Correspondence: James Malce Alo, Department of Nursing - Psychiatric & Mental Health, Imam AbdulRahman Bin Faisal University, King Faisal Road, Dammam City, Eastern Province of Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Email: ,

Keywords

Face to face learning • Nursing student • Nursing faculty • Nursing education • Student engagement

Introduction

The advent of face-to-face instruction to nursing education has made it possible for student’s post-pandemic plague. With busy lives and limited flexibility to obtain a quality education. As opposed to traditional classroom teaching, Web-based instruction has made it possible to offer classes worldwide through a single Internet connection during the height of Covid-19 situation.

Face-to-face instruction is essentially a teacher-centered method of education and tends to vary widely among cultures. Many modern education systems have largely shifted away from traditional face-to-face forms of educational instruction, in favor of individual students’ needs.

Study problems

1. Is face to face instruction effective for nursing students as to the domains of learning engagement?

2. Is face to face interaction significant to nursing student education?

3. Are there any significant impacts of face-to-face instruction to the students nursing education?

4. Are there any recommendations to enhance face to face instruction?

Conceptual framework

This instructional method is where course content and learning material are taught in person to a group of students. This allows for live interaction between a learner and an instructor. It is the most traditional type of learning instruction. Learner’s benefit from a greater level of interaction with their fellow students as well. In face-to-face learning, students are held accountable for their progress at the class’s specific meeting date and time. Face-to-face instruction ensures learning a better understanding and recollection of lesson content and gives class members a chance to bond with one another (Figure 1).

In classroom discussion, the teachers should have the ability to motivate and behaviorally engage in an effective learning process for students. To engage learners are more likely to enjoy learning, thus stay committed to completing student courses. They are also more likely to engage with their learnings and spread their novel acquired knowledge through peer-to-peer interaction.

Student learning engagement occurs when "students make a psychological investment in learning. They try hard to learn what school offers.

Research has demonstrated that engaging students in the learning process increases their attention and focus and motivates them to engage in higher-level critical thinking. Thus, essential for their clinical nursing practice successes.

Objectives of the study

1. To identify the effectiveness of face-to-face instruction as to students (PIEIF) participation, interest, excitement, interaction and focus.

2. To find out and understand the significant difference of face-to-face instruction related to learning engagement.

3. To explore the impact of face-to-face instruction to students nursing education as to their learning engagement.

4. To know any recommendation to enhance face to face instruction.

Methodology

The study used a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative design for the identification and exploration of the student’s learning engagement experienced relevant to face-to-face instruction. The questionnaire was administered in the classroom and laboratory in the college of nursing as well as the three-month long observation in the site of instruction. These were students who started their college school years during on-line instruction resulting to pandemic situation due to covid-19 phenomena. The study documents and gives description how students learned and engaged in their classroom activities with the manifestation of being {PIEIF) Participative, Interested, Excited, Interactive and Focus. The research focused on the learning engagement indicators as postulated by the author and explored their experienced; how they knew when engaged in classroom activities, what was the most engaging activities happened in their class and how students described their teacher did and made classroom activities engaging and conducive to education. The study selected seventy (70) students at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faizal University (IAU) college of nursing. They were subjected to sampling and get their feedback through random interview. The observations were focused and based on the objectives formulated in the study exploration.

Results and Discussion

The study was to identify and explore students learning engagement experienced upon immediately exposed to face-to-face instruction post covid-19 phenomena resulting to online instruction for the rest of two (2) years for most of the courses offered in the college of nursing education. This was an investigative study to identify how they was (PIEIF) participative, interested, excited, interactive and focused to their classroom projects and assignments and laboratory activities.

Also, exploring the impact and significance of face-to-face instruction related to nursing students learning engagement in nursing education. Furthermore, drawing up a recommendation to enhance substantive and enjoyable face to face instruction resulting to a productive learning engagement in the classroom and laboratory settings.

The effectiveness of face-to-face instruction as to students (PIEIF) participation, interest, excitement, interaction and focus (Table 1).

How eager and participative are nursing students in the class during face-to-face instruction?

Nursing students are very much eager to participate in their respective classroom and laboratory discussions. The figure below shows that out of seventy (70) students as the total population of the study conducted, there are thirty-seven (37) equivalents to fifty- three (53%) of the students highly participative, twenty eight percent (28%) equivalent to eighteen (18) students who are participative consistently, zero (0)=0% not participative and one (1)=1% that was highly not participative. Therefore, most of the students were actively participating in class discussion with the teacher, they came to class prepared, contributes readily to the student-teacher conversation, open to one or more interpretation and ideas. Moreover, shows respect and interest in one or another idea of contribution (Figure 2).

How interested are nursing students in face-to-face instruction attending their class?

The learner in the medical field of study was interested in face-to-face instruction contrary to a mild difference of being highly interested in classroom activities. It reveals that there are twenty-two (22)=31% of the students are highly interested, thirty-five (35)=50% students expressed interested, twelve (12)=17% neutral and only one (1) student not interested. Thus, students are interested in their class when they adhere to the rules, norms and contracts set by the teacher during classroom and laboratory activities. They have displayed a behavior associated with persistence, concentration and attention. However, there is one student not interested in which every teacher might know for other extrinsic or intrinsic factor which may hinder students’ interest (Figure 3).

How excited are nursing students during class lessons with their teacher in face-to- face instruction?

The nursing students were excited in their classroom and laboratory activities during face-to-face instruction. With the total population of seventy (70)=100%, It reveals that there are twenty-eight (28)=40% of the students was highly excited, thirty (30)=43% students excited to face to face instruction, twelve (12)=17% students responded neutral. Therefore, most of the nursing students were excited in face-to-face instruction during classroom discussions and laboratory activities doing procedural return demonstrations. They have shown involvement in discussions, they get encouraged and creative in group discussion. Most importantly, they have drawn connections in real life when assigned peer discussion and demonstration to nursing procedures (Figure 4).

How interactive nursing students are in face-to-face instruction?

Mostly of the students were highly interactive in face-to-face instruction during their teachers had classroom and laboratory lectures and teaching demonstration. It reveals that thirty-nine (39)=56% of the students were highly interactive, twenty-one (21)=30% are interactive and ten (10)=14% students responded neutral. Therefore, students and teachers interact freely in communicating their intent to each other and work out the best way based on the learning objectives on the concept discussed, students who are interactive in classroom discussion indicate that they have prepared studying their course before entering the school class activities. The teacher asked critical thinking questions to learners and give them time to think and share their ideas. However, emphasizing student engagement through interaction during discussion, interactive class structures are much more holistic in their education (Figure 5).

How focused they are in class discussions?

The students were focused on their class discussions during face-to-face instruction. It shows that there are twenty-four (24)=34% of students highly focused on their classroom and laboratory activities, thirty-nine (39)=56% students focused and seven (7)=10% of students responded neutral. Therefore, students were able to finish task given at a time especially in the laboratory settings when assigned to do return demonstration of the nursing procedures taught and demonstrated by their clinical instructors with the corresponding time and rate to perform procedure to a situation. In the class lectures students were able to answer questions from their teacher despite distractions. In essence, focus helps students to get started on something and sustain their attention in the class and effort through its completion of their academic task (Figure 6).

How did students know when they felt engaged in class discussions and activities?

Students’ engagement is frequently used to, “depict students’ willingness to participate in a routine school activity, such as attending class, submitting required work and following teachers’ direction in class,’ [1-3]. Based on the findings of the study, students felt engaged when they don’t think about the time the class will end and pay attention, they were able to participate and share their ideas during discussions, the time they were able to share their thoughts to their classmates in group discussions, when the teacher ask a critical thinking question pertinent examples to nursing application and able to connect learning to a real world, others felt engaged in class discussions when they were able to visualize as they are in the profession, they were able to ask a content related question to teachers, when they were responding to questions interactively. However, students felt engaged in the class when they each completed their share of work during return demonstration of nursing procedures.

The most engaging activities they have experienced in the class during face-to-face instruction

Students are engaged when they are involved in their work, persist despite challenges and obstacles and take visible delight in accomplishing their work [4]. The most engaging activities students might feel and experienced during face to face instruction was the following; when there is experimentation done to a theoretical knowledge employed, doing role plays on the laboratory skills procedures and understanding the significant rationale of each steps, giving examples connecting the application to a real world, there will be return demonstration to every laboratory skills demonstrated by teacher, there will be interactive communication among teacher-student and besides they can see nonverbal gestures that may help learner to focus, encouraging students to apply what they have learn is engaging students learning. Thus, giving students space and time to think from the critical thinking questions raised by teachers during face-to-face instruction will stimulate them to actively participate and focus on the concept inculcated by teachers.

In face-to-face instruction the students observed their class engaging when the teacher does the following

Students’ engagement in the class firstly occurs to a "student's willingness, need, desire and compulsion to participate in and be successful in, the learning process promoting higher level thinking for enduring understanding." [5]. Enhancing student engagement in the school by simply encouraging them to be more active in participating the discussions and collaboratively giving them opportunities to be involved in the experimentation, modifying set of examples based on the students interest, be appreciative to each students ideas and find a common belief that will bring them to the universal truth of the matter, begin the lesson with a novel and interesting fact, encourage connections and examples that are relevant to topic presented and the utilization of mixed multimedia in presenting the lessons will promote curiosity and enthusiasm in learning. Lastly, adding sense of humor and fun while learning will stimulate students’ hormones of learning actively [6-10].

Thus, nothing can substitute face to face instruction to actively promote and stimulate students learning engagements.

Conclusion

There is a highly significant impact of face-to-face instruction to nursing students’ education pertinent to their learning engagement. Most of the students were actively participating in class discussion with the teacher, they came to class prepared, contributes readily to the student-teacher conversation, open to one or more interpretation and ideas. While showing respect and interest in one or another idea of contribution.

The students felt engaged when they don’t think about the time the class will end and pay attention, they were able to participate and share their ideas during discussions, the time they were able to share their thoughts to their classmates in group discussions, when the teacher ask a critical thinking question pertinent examples to nursing application and able to connect learning to a real world, others felt engaged in class discussions when they were able to visualize as they are in the profession, they were able to ask a content related question to teachers, when they were responding to questions interactively. However, students felt engaged in the class when they each completed their share of work during return demonstration of nursing procedures. Therefore, the nursing students (PIEF) Participation, Interest, Excitement, Interaction and Focus on learning engagement were hugely impacted the face to face instruction methodology they have had experienced in teaching plays a vital role in fortifying the students’ faculties in their education. The more they were engaged in learning activities when they can see their teacher personally in the classroom and laboratory settings, the more they will understand very well the theory, concept and application of their choice profession.

Recommendation

Enhancing student engagement in the school the teacher must do: by simply encouraging them to be more active in participating the discussions and collaboratively giving them opportunities to be involved in the experimentation, modifying set of examples based on the students interest, be appreciative to each students ideas and find a common belief that will bring them to the universal truth of the matter, begin the lesson with a novel and interesting fact, encourage connections and examples that are relevant to topic presented and the utilization of mixed multimedia in presenting the lessons will promote curiosity and enthusiasm in learning. Lastly, adding sense of humour and fun while learning will stimulate students’ hormones of learning actively.

Thus, nothing can substitute face to face instruction to actively promote and stimulate students learning engagements.

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to our family, students, colleagues and the institution who inspired us made this curiosity into realization, finding out how face-to-face instruction impacted learners engagement.

Conflict of Interest

None.

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