Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was performed to examine the degree of meta cognition, critical thinking and self-efficacy and to identify correlations among the meta cognition, critical thinking, and self-efficacy of nursing students studying through PBL.
METHOD
The subjects were 140 nursing students who had studied through PBL over three terms at C College. Data were collected from August to September, 2005 using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS 10.0.
RESULTS
The mean score of meta cognition was 40.14 (SD=6.02), critical thinking was 181.46 (SD=14.49), and self-efficacy was 942.93 (SD=167.05). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between meta cognition and self-efficacy and age. Also, meta cognition had a positive correlation with appropriateness to nursing and interest in nursing knowledge, and critical thinking had a positive correlation with appropriateness to nursing, interest in nursing knowledge, interest in lab on campus and interest in clinical practicum. There were statistically significant positive correlations among meta cognition, critical thinking and self-efficacy.
CONCLUSION
Based on above results, further research should be done about many factors influencing nursing students' problem solving abilities for the development and application of many teaching methods for improving nursing students' meta cognition, critical thinking and self-efficacy.

• Keywords: Problem-based Learning;Cognition;Thinking;Self-efficacy