Abstract:
To develop a scaffolded instructional model for enhancing nursing students' higher-order thinking skills (HOT skills) and to study quality of the developed instructional model by (1) comparing HOT skills of nursing students learned through this model to those who learned through regular instruction, and (2) comparing the nursing students' HOT skills between before and after implemented model. The HOT skills of this study were skills in analyzing, inferring, synthesizing, and evaluating. In developing the instructional model, scaffolded instructional and thinking through assessment principles were employed. Moreover, problems and needs to enhance thinking of nursing students were also considered. These analyzed data were concluded and brought to develop the instructional model. For evaluating, the model was implemented to 59 second year nursing students of Boromarajonani Nursing College, Udonthani who studied in the course of mental health and psychiatric nursing I - the first semester of academic year 2003. Matching technique was used to divide the samples into experimental and control groups comprising 30 and 29 students respectively. Duration of experiment was 10 weeks long, three hours per week. The samples were tested HOT skills before and after implementing the model. The data were analyzed by using t-test. Moreover Journal writings of the experimental group students were analyzed by using content analysis. The findings of this study were as follows 1. The developed instructional model consisted of principles, objectives, instructional steps, and measurement and evaluation. Its principles were students' interaction, systematic learning support, participatory and ongoing assessment, and appropriate task assignment. The objectives were to enhance HOT skills of nursing students. Instructional steps of the model were 1) checking working abilities, 2) establishing learning objectives and assigning tasks, 3) planning frame of work and assessing quality of work, 4) supporting work practice, assessing comprehension, and giving feedback, 5) practicing in using studied knowledge, and 6) practicing independently in new situations. For measurement and evaluation, formative and summative assessment were included. 2. The quality of the developed instructional model which obtained from implementing the model were; 2.1 Posttest scores of the experimental group in analysis, inference, synthesis, and evaluation skills were significantly higher than pretest scores at .05 level. 2.2 Posttest and pretest scores of the control group in analysis and inference skills were not different. But posttest scores of the control group in synthesis and evaluation skills were significantly higher than pretest scores at .05 level. 2.3 osttest scores of the experimental group in analysis, inference, synthesis, and evaluation skills were significantly higher than the control group at .05 level. 2.3 The information from journal writings of students in experimental group showed that their thinking, performance, and systematic working were developed due to participating in classroom assessment, interacting, and working and helping together in learning