Online Tools and Instructional Methods Used in Distance Learning on the Motivation and Attitudes of Nursing Students During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to determine the effects of online tools and instructional methods used in distance education on the motivation and attitudes of nursing students. Material and Method: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out with 280 students studying in the nursing department of a university in Turkey. Data were collected between March and June 2021 through Google docs, including the Demographic form, The Instructional Materials Motivation Survey, and The Attitude Scale towards Distance Education. Results: It was found that the satisfaction of nursing students from distance education (5±2.42), their motivation for instructional materials (81.50±15.92), and their attitudes towards distance education (98.96±20.32) were at a moderate level. Among instructional methods of distance education, video assignment was found to have a significant relationship with motivation for instructional materials (t=2.534, p=0.012), and case study was found to be significantly correlated with the attitude towards distance education (z=-2.262, p=0.024). The attitudes of students towards distance education were found to be positively correlated with their motivation for instructional materials (r=0.521, p=0.000), age (r=0.158, p=0.008), satisfaction (r=0.665, p=0.000) and grade (r=0.154, p=0.010). They were found to be negatively correlated with online class hours (r=-0.129, p=0.031). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the students’ attitudes towards distance education were more positive as their motivation for instructional materials, age, satisfaction, and grades increased, and their attitudes were more negative as their online class hours were prolonged.