SynthesisBMC medical education2026
The effects of case-based, problem-based, and team-based learning on nursing students' problem-solving, self-directed learning, and communication skills: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC medical education, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed.
- Application of retrospective teaching method in stomatology undergraduate education.BMC medical education · 2026Trial
- The Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibility in the Relationship Between Self-Transcendence and Depression Symptom Level: A Sample of Health Department Students.Nursing open · 2026Article
- Distinct patterns in study techniques and intrinsic challenges in nursing students' self-directed learning: an exploratory, comparative qualitative study.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Innovation capability characteristics among nursing undergraduates: a latent profile analysis.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- The role of cognitive approaches in nursing students' learning experiences: a quasi-experimental study cognitive learning approaches in nursing.BMC nursing · 2026Article
- Integrating rain classroom with case-based learning in teaching dental hard tissue non-carious diseases: a comparative study.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Impact of WeChat public platform-based education and training on community nurses' attitudes toward death and death coping skills: a prospective multicenter single-group pre-post study.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundModern teaching methods, including case-based learning (CBL), problem-based learning (PBL), and team-based learning (TBL), offer significant advantages over traditional teaching by promoting active student engagement and practical application. However, a systematic and comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of the three modern teaching methods in nursing education remains lacking. This study aims to evaluate the effects of CBL, TBL, and PBL on nursing students’ problem-solving abilities, self-directed learning, and communication skills.
methodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted using the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library, up to May 2025. We included experimental and quasi-experimental studies with control groups that quantitatively compared the effects of CBL, PBL, or TBL with other teaching methodologies in nursing students. The risk of bias was judged using standard tools. Effect sizes were estimated using a random-effects model and reported as standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup meta-analyses were conducted to compare intervention effects based on intervention methods, duration, student grade, study design, and sample size, along with heterogeneity tests, publication bias tests, and sensitivity analyses.
resultsFrom an initial pool of 4581 articles, 27 were included in the systematic review, among which 16 (3 experimental studies and 13 quasi-experimental studies with a control group) were used for meta-analysis. Modern teaching methods significantly improved nursing students’ problem-solving abilities (SMD = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.57–1.53), self-directed learning (SMD = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.43–0.71), and communication skills (SMD = 1.80, 95% CI: 0.80–2.80). Specifically, CBL (SMD = 1.36, 95% CI: 0.19–2.52), PBL (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.35–0.76), and TBL (SMD = 1.52, 95% CI: 0.21–2.83) all substantially enhanced students’ problem-solving capabilities. TBL (SMD = 1.94, 95% CI: 0.26–3.62) significantly improved communication skills, while PBL (SMD = 1.69, 95% CI: -0.45-3.83) showed a non-significant effect in communication skills.
conclusionsModern teaching methods can effectively enhance the problem-solving abilities, self-directed learning, and communication skills of nursing students. Future research should focus on larger sample sizes, higher methodological quality, more rigorous study designs, and the inclusion of diverse learning outcomes. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: The review was preregistered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (02/06/2025, #CRD420251060257).
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