Importance of being inquisitive and the learning styles of nurses
We all recognize the importance of the inquisitiveness of a young child during
her/his first years in school. If he/she does not stand critical during her entire
school period, how will he/she be able to truly learn something. Most of the
children have many questions and are very curious. So it is very important that
the child gets stimulated to continuing asking those questions and having a
critical view over the world and her/his environment. Just learning what the
teachers tells the student is in the child’s early period often not enough. It is
because of the curiousness and critical thinking that the child enters a world of
fantasy and `thinking out of the box`. For this subject I was more interested in
the inquisitiveness of mature people. This is why I chose for an article that
speaks about students (nurses), their inquisitiveness and learning styles. One of
the objectives of nursing education is to produce nurses with the ability to think
critically and thus be able to provide safe nursing care. Therefore, the critical
thinking dispositions (CTD) and learning styles (LS) of student nurses are of
major concern to nurse educators because it affects the teaching methods used
in their development.
The aim of this research is to assess the difference between the predominant
critical thinking disposition(s) and learning styles of nursing students in the
conventional (Stream I) and the accelerated (Stream II) baccalaureate nursing
education programmes. This descriptive correlational study is beneficial to
students, faculty and institutions as it will help them to acquire better
understanding of critical thinking potentials and learning styles of nurses, as well
as the relationship between learning styles and critical thinking dispositions.
The convenience sample consisted of 80 Stream I and 50 Stream II students.
The study was conducted at the College of Nursing and Allied Medical Sciences
(CNAMS) in Saudi Arabia. CNAMS offers a 4- year Bachelor of Science in Nursing
degree through a conventional programme (Stream I) to high school graduates,
and a 2- year accelerated programme (Stream II) to university graduates with a
degree in physics, chemistry, mathematics or biology.
The major distinction between Stream I and Stream II is the level of cognitive
maturity of students. Stream II students are recognized as adult learners, and
the accelerated curriculum applies the concept of an educated ‘scientific’ mind.
They are granted course credits from their previous college work equivalent to
30% of courses studied in Stream I. The distinction between the two groups in
terms of educational background prompted the researcher to consider whether
their level of cognitive maturity may influence their critical thinking (CT) abilities
and LS.
The results revealed marginal overall CT weakness among CNAMS students
because the overall sample mean score is 276.24, which is lower than the cut-off
point of 280 as specified by Facione & Facione (1992). Streams I and II students
were consistent in emphasizing active experimentation over reflection, and
abstractness over concreteness. However, in plotting these abilities, the
predominant LS were different but not significant. Stream I were divergers,
Stream II were convergers; and to a high extent their LS were balanced.
Thus there was a failure to find significant difference between the LS of Streams
I and II. The researchers were not surprised by this information because it was
conforming with the literature that they reviewed, e.g. Linares’s (1999) study
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Educational psychology
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findings, and because they represent same population, i.e. primarily graduates of
high school scientific stream.
As convergers, Stream II predominant learning abilities were AC and AE. This
implies that they learn by thinking and doing. The AC correlates positively with
truth seeking, analyticity, systematicity, self-confidence and maturity; while the
AE correlates with inquisitiveness. This may suggest that those who learn by
thinking (AC) rely more on seeking the best knowledge; are inclined to use
reason and evidence; are orderly and persevering in solving problems; trust their
own reasoning processes; and are prudent in making, suspending or revising
judgement. And those who learn by doing (AE) tend to be eager to acquire
knowledge, even if the knowledge is not readily apparent.
In contrast, Stream I, as divergers, have the opposite learning strength of the
convergers. They are best at CE and RO. They learn by feeling and watching.
This implies that their approach to situations is to observe rather than think and
take action; and that they are emotional, sensitive to feelings and thus peopleorientated.
CE correlates positively with analyticity but negatively with inquisitiveness,
whereas RO correlates negatively with truth seeking and systematicity. This may
suggest that those who learn by feeling (CE) tend to rely more on connecting
readily apparent observations with theoretical knowledge, anticipating possible
consequences; however, they may not value being informed or wanting to know
how things work. And those who learn by watching (RO) tend to form opinion
rather than seek and continuously evaluate new information and evidence.
Further, they may not be organized and orderly in solving problems.
The significant difference in the CT of Streams I and II may be attributed to the
following demographic characteristics: Stream II students entered the nursing
programme at an older age, bringing with them their previous academic
experience as independent learners. Their responses were consistent with the
reviewed literature. Stream I students are high school graduates. They are
younger, and lack experience and competency in independent learning.
It is worth mentioning that a significant gap exists between high school
education and university education with regard to dependent vs. independent
learning. Therefore, Stream I students have a potential to develop their overall
CT ability and specific CTD as truth seekers, systematic, open-minded, inquisitive
and cognitively mature.
Overall, Stream II students were significantly more critical thinkers (P=0.000),
inquisitive (P=0.000) and self-confident (P=0.002). The predominant learning
styles of Streams I and II were the diverger and the converger, respectively,
with no difference except in relation to their learning abilities, namely, concrete
experience (P=0.017), in favour of Stream I. Further, the findings indicate a
weak (range of R = 0.209–0.328) though significant (range of P = 0.017–0.000)
correlation between learning abilities and various critical thinking dispositions.
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Educational psychology
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Conclusion:
This research recognized the following results:
 Stream II students were convergers; their CT, although marginal, was
fairly significant. They are best at inquisitiveness and self-confidence, rely
on thinking and demonstrating; these characteristics are necessary for
fostering growth in convergent CT.
 Stream I students were divergers; their CT, although marginal, was
significantly inadequate. Divergers rely on watching and feeling, both of
which are necessary for encouraging divergent CT.
After reading the article I realized that there is a positive correlation between
inquisitiveness and self-confidence. This means that when a person is able to be
inquisitive it helps his/her self-confidence to rise. So thinking outside of the box
and being able to think critically about life and situations helps the person to be
confident and believe in him-/herself. Also if you look at the difference between
Stream I and Stream II students, we can notice that Stream I students were
more passive than the Stream II (the inquisitive) students. For example while
Stream I students rely on watching and feeling, Stream II students rely on
thinking and demonstrating.
So I can say that being inquisitive for a child during his/her life is important not
only for school but also for her/his regular life. When a child is able to explore
and learn new things by being inquisitive, it will help him/her being active and to
have more goals in life or motivate them to reach the goals they set in their
lives.
References:
SULIMAN W. A. (2006) Critical thinking and learning styles of students in conventional and
accelerated programmes. International Nursing Review 53, 73–79
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Educational psychology
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