Journal article
An integrative educational framework to enhance logical reasoning and cognitive skills in undergraduate nursing students: A constructivist grounded theory approach
Nurse education today, Vol.160, pp.1-8
05/2026
PMID: 41579843
Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Abstract
Aim: The study aimed to explore an educational and learning approach that integrates bioscience concepts, utilizing concept maps and situated cases, to systematically enhance the progression from lower- to higher-order cognitive and logical reasoning skills, thereby strengthening clinical decision-making among undergraduate nursing students.
Background: Students' cognitive development from their previous learning experiences is often limited, resulting in difficulty retaining knowledge related to biosciences and care. These limited opportunities to develop logical reasoning and cognitive skills during prior learning can hinder students' clinical judgment and professional growth.
Methods: A constructivist grounded theory approach was employed to conduct individual interviews, facilitating qualitative data collection from 17 undergraduate nursing students through purposive and theoretical sampling. Data was analyzed using a constant comparative analysis methodology, involving initial, focused, and axial coding. Credibility, originality, resonance, and usefulness criteria affirmed the study's trustworthiness. The study was conducted from January to June 2024.
Results: The educational approach enhances students' logical reasoning and cognitive abilities with integrated concepts. Emphasizing concept mapping, this methodology allows students to engage in a logical reasoning process that includes deductive, inductive, and abductive reasoning. Such an approach fosters cognitive skills development, enabling students to create concept maps for specific scenarios and implement effective care interventions. Based on the findings, this novel framework has been termed the Bioscience Concepts-Visual Hypotheses-Concrete Applications (B-V-C) model.
Conclusions: The B-V-C learning model enhances cognitive and logical thinking skills by blending bioscience concepts, visual hypotheses, and practical applications. However, cognitive overload during the learning process may hinder students' ability to integrate complex bioscience concepts effectively, potentially impacting their learning outcomes. Additional research is needed to assess the effectiveness of the B-V-C learning model across diverse populations and explore factors influencing its implementation and efficiency in enhancing cognitive and logical reasoning skills.
Details
- Title
- An integrative educational framework to enhance logical reasoning and cognitive skills in undergraduate nursing students: A constructivist grounded theory approach
- Creators
- Chin-Yen Han - Chang Gung Medical Foundation (Taiwan)Chun-Chih Lin - Chang Gung Medical Foundation (Taiwan)Han-Chang Ku - Chang Gung University of Science and TechnologyYa-Ling Huang - Griffith University (Australia, Gold Coast)
- Publication Details
- Nurse education today, Vol.160, pp.1-8
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Grant note
- This study was supported by the Chang Gung Medical Foundation (CDRPF6P0011) and the Ministry of Education (Taiwan) (PMN1134600).
- Identifiers
- 991013345424902368
- Copyright
- © 2026 Elsevier Ltd.
- Academic Unit
- Nursing; Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article