Effect of applying six thinking hats teaching method for development through life span course on students opinion and critical thinking skills

Nursing education plays a critical role in developing students' critical thinking skills. Conventional lecture-based methods struggle to hold the attention of today's students. To tackle complicated challenges, the six thinking hats method can inspire diverse viewpoints and innovative problem-solving. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of applying the Six Thinking Hats strategy on nursing students in the "Development through Life Span" course and its impact on their critical thinking skills. A quasi-experimental research design involving a one-group pretest and posttest was employed to achieve the study's objectives. The sample consisted of 160 s-year nursing students in their sixth level, who were enrolled in the Development Through the Lifespan course. Data collection utilized two tools: the Six Thinking Hats Teaching Strategies Students' Opinions Questionnaire and the Critical Thinking Ability Scale for College Students. The findings indicate that the majority of participants were 20 years old, with a mean age of 19.8 years (± 0.6). Female students made up a slight majority at 56.3%. A satisfactory attitude toward the Six Thinking Hats model was observed by 71.3% of the students, while 28.7% exhibited a negative attitude. Additionally, a positive correlation was found between students' opinions on the Six Thinking Hats model and their scores on the Critical Thinking Ability Scale, with statistically significant differences noted. The Six Thinking Hats technique proved effective in enhancing nursing students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills, encouraging them to explore diverse perspectives, generate innovative ideas, and make well-rounded decisions. Furthermore, this strategy fostered improved collaboration, communication, and creativity among the students. The findings suggest that the six thinking hats approach can be a valuable teaching strategy in nursing education, fostering critical thinking and enhancing the overall quality of nursing education to improve patient care outcomes.