Evaluation of the Effects of Traditional and E-Learning Methods in Cancer Pain Care Education on Learning Outcomes and Institutional Costs

Overview

Cancer pain is a significant clinical problem that directly affects patients' quality of life and requires nurses to be equipped with adequate knowledge and skills to provide effective care. The current shift in knowledge and skill acquisition from traditional teaching methods toward e-learning-based approaches has increased the importance of comparing the effects of these educational methods on learning outcomes in cancer pain management education. Within this context, the course content on cancer pain management will be developed using both traditional and e-learning methods based on the ADDIE instructional design model. The effects of these two methods on students' learning outcomes and institutional teaching costs will be evaluated. Thus, this study aims to contribute to identifying effective and cost-efficient teaching strategies in nursing education.

Detailed description

Nursing education prepares qualified nurses to meet the care needs of individuals, families, and communities using evidence-based practices. Curricula in line with Türkiye and European Union standards provide both theoretical and clinical education and use various models: traditional, integrated, and problem-based learning. Recently, the pandemic, natural disasters, and fast technological changes have driven interest in student-centered and digital teaching. E-learning that uses digital tools like simulation, virtual reality, augmented reality, and gamification boosts learning motivation and enriches education.

Traditional teaching, used worldwide, has key advantages for classroom management and discipline. Its teacher-centered structure ensures systematic transfer of fundamental knowledge. This method achieves learning goals for knowledge and comprehension and delivers broad information quickly. Some research finds e-learning benefits knowledge and skills, while other studies report no significant learning difference from traditional methods.

However, studies comparing the costs of traditional and e-learning methods remain limited. Although the use of technology in education is often emphasized as cost-effective, most existing studies have focused on simulation costs and have not provided comprehensive quantitative cost analyses to support this claim. This gap highlights the importance of conducting detailed cost analyses in order to objectively evaluate the true cost-effectiveness of educational practices. Furthermore, the use of instructional design models is recommended to develop effective, systematic, and standardized teaching processes in both traditional and digital learning environments.

Within the scope of this study, the course content on cancer pain management will be developed using both traditional and e-learning methods based on the ADDIE instructional design model. The effects of these two methods on students' learning outcomes and institutional teaching costs will be evaluated. In this way, the study aims to contribute to identifying effective and cost-efficient teaching strategies in nursing education.

Interventions

• Behavioral e-learning
  For the e-learning method, the cancer pain management course will be delivered through a web-based platform designed according to the ADDIE model, using artificial intelligence-supported avatar lectures and gamified case scenarios.
• Behavioral traditional group
  For the traditional teaching method, the cancer pain management course will be delivered through classroom lectures and case scenarios designed according to the ADDIE model.

Primary outcome measures

• Cancer Pain Knowledge Test [Time frame: Twice, once at the end of the training (day 1) and again after 4 weeks.]
• Scenario-Based Assessment of Practical Skills Form [Time frame: Twice, once at the end of the training (day 1) and again after 4 weeks.]
• Motivation Scale Regarding Instructional Material [Time frame: once at the end of the training (day 1)]
• Institutional Cost Information Form [Time frame: at the end of the study]
• Visual Analog Scale [Time frame: once at the end of the training (day 1)]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Students who have access to the internet and a computer/mobile phone,
• Students who have successfully completed the Fundamentals of Nursing course,
• Students who are taking the Internal Medicine Nursing course for the first time,
• Students who voluntarily agree to participate in the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Students who are repeating the Internal Medicine Nursing course,
• Students who have taken the Palliative Care and Nursing or Oncology Nursing courses,
• Students who have been diagnosed with cancer themselves or have a relative diagnosed with cancer,
• Students who were admitted to the nursing department through the Vertical Transfer Exam (DGS) after graduating from an associate degree program in a health-related field,
• Students who graduated from a Vocational Health High School,
• Students who were admitted through the International Student Examination.

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Allocation

Randomized

Model

Parallel assignment

Masking

Single blind

Primary purpose

Other

Study locations

Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.

Identifiers

NCT: NCT07461974 · thesis

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗