Effectiveness of mind mapping in undergraduate nursing education: A quasi-experimental study
Zeenat Mesk, Mohammad Qtait, Nesreen Alqaissi, Ahmad Amro, Mahmood Asafrah, Fayez zeedat, Hasan zeedat, Mohammad Daoud, Dana Asafrah, Nour hmedatBackground
Anatomy and physiology courses are cognitively demanding and may be associated with academic difficulty and reduced motivation among undergraduate nursing students. Learner-centered strategies, including mind mapping, may enhance learning by supporting active knowledge construction, conceptual integration, and engagement.
Aim
This study evaluated the effectiveness of mind mapping on academic achievement and motivation among undergraduate nursing students enrolled in an Anatomy and Physiology I course. A secondary exploratory aim was to examine whether improved outcomes could be achieved without increased self-reported study time.
Methods
A quasi-experimental, non-randomized controlled design was conducted during the 2024–2025 academic year among undergraduate nursing students at Palestine Polytechnic University, Palestine. Participants were allocated to an experimental group receiving mind mapping-based instruction (n = 41) or a control group receiving traditional lecture-based teaching (n = 41). Academic achievement was assessed using a structured post-test aligned with course learning outcomes. Motivation was measured using a validated questionnaire at the end of the intervention only. Weekly study time was assessed using a self-reported categorical item. Independent-samples t-tests and chi-square tests were used, with effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals calculated.
Results
The experimental group achieved significantly higher academic achievement scores (M = 22.07, SD = 4.20) than the control group (M = 20.15, SD = 3.21), t (80) = 2.33, p = .022, Cohen’s d = 0.52. Motivation scores were also higher in the experimental group (M = 4.02, SD = 0.36) than the control group (M = 3.58, SD = 0.66), t (80) = 3.26, p = .002, Cohen’s d = 0.75. Weekly study time did not differ significantly, χ 2 (3) = 5.93, p = .205.
Conclusion
Mind mapping improved academic achievement and post-intervention motivation. However, learning-efficiency findings should be interpreted cautiously because study time was self-reported and efficiency was not directly measured.