Self-perceived design thinking competence among Taiwanese nursing students: a longitudinal study.

backgroundDesign thinking (DT) is increasingly valued in nursing education for cultivating innovation and problem-solving skills. Although individual differences in DT competence are recognized, the pattern of change in these competencies over time remains unclear.

methodsNinety-six nursing students enrolled in a DT training course completed the Creative Synthesis Inventory–Taiwan (CSI–Taiwan) at four time points: before training, immediately after training, and one- and three-months post-training. Students were classified into higher- and lower-scoring groups using K-means clustering. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) were used to analyze changes in CSI–Taiwan scores over time.

resultsGEE analysis showed no significant differences in visualization, discovery, prototyping, and evaluation skills immediately after training. Both higher- and lower-scoring students demonstrated significant declines in all DT skills over time. The magnitude of decline was significantly smaller among higher-scoring students, except for the discovery skill between immediately after training and one-month post-training.

conclusionsThese findings align with Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, suggesting that efficacious self-beliefs in DT competence are reflected in differing patterns of change over time. Nursing curricula incorporating longitudinal, spiral models of DT instruction—such as project-based applications in clinical settings—may help consolidate and sustain DT skills, particularly among lower-scoring students.