Knowledge, Attitudes and Associated Factors Toward Blended Learning Among Nursing Students in Selected Nursing Schools in Buea, Cameroon

Abstract

Background: Blended learning represents an innovative pedagogical approach combining online and face-to-face instruction, increasingly adopted in nursing education globally. Understanding nursing students' knowledge, attitudes, and associated factors toward blended learning is essential for successful implementation in resource-limited settings. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and associated factors towards Blended learning in selected Nursing Schools in Buea. Methodology: A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from the 1st of December, 2023 to 31st July, 2024 in three nursing schools in Buea, Cameroon. Using multi-stage sampling, 385 nursing students were recruited. Data were collected using structured a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 27. Chi-square tests determined associations between sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge and attitudes, with statistical significance set at p<0.05. Descriptive statistics summarized data, and Pearson correlation assessed relationships between variables. Results: The mean age of participants was 22.55 years. Overall, 335 (87.0%) students demonstrated adequate knowledge of blended learning, while 375 (97.4%) exhibited positive attitudes toward this pedagogical approach. Chi-square analysis revealed significant associations between knowledge and sex (p=0.001), academic institution (p=0.023), and religion (p=0.036). Similarly, attitudes were significantly associated with academic level (p=0.012) and prior technology experience (p=0.008). Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated strong positive correlations between knowledge and attitudes (r=0.674, p<0.001). Multivariate analysis identified female gender (AOR=2.34, 95% CI: 1.45-3.78, p<0.001) and enrollment in private institutions (AOR=1.89, 95% CI: 1.12-3.21, p=0.017) as independent predictors of adequate knowledge. Conclusion: Nursing students in Buea demonstrated adequate knowledge and overwhelmingly positive attitudes towards blended learning. However, significant disparities exist based on gender, institutional affiliation, and technological exposure, necessitating targeted interventions to ensure equitable adoption of blended learning approaches in nursing education.