The relationship between the online learning process, 21st century skills and work readiness in senior nursing students

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to: a) develop scales that measure nursing students' perceptions of the online learning process and the effects of this process on nursing knowledge and skills and b) explain the relationship between these scales, 21st century skills and work readiness.Background: Twenty-first century skills include learning and innovation skills, information, media and technology skills and life and career skills. These skills have come to the fore through nursing education's adoption of online education after recent global events such as the COVID-19 restrictions.Design: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and correlational study.Methods: The study was conducted with 313 senior nursing students in Turkiye. In the acquisition of research data, the study used a personal information form including socio-demographic data, the online learning process perception scale (OLPS), the online learning process nursing knowledge and skills effects scale (NKS-S), the multidimensional 21st century skills scale and the work readiness scale (WRS). The study was conducted from April to June 2021. Validity and reliability of the scales were tested using exploratory factor and confirmatory factor analysis. The relationship between the scales was shown through path analysis.Results: Both developed OLPS and NKS-S scales were found to be valid and reliable and it was proven that the model provided acceptable fit index values. According to the path analysis results, 3.6% of 21st century skills were explained by OLPS and NKS-S, while 65% of WRS was explained by OLPS, NKS-S and 21st century skills. Conclusion: Students reported that online learning increases 21st century skills and that practice based training through online platforms prepares them for work. Higher education institutions can help students learn 21st century skills through online education, ensuring their work readiness.