Evaluating the Writing-to-Learn Strategy with Undergraduate Nursing Students

The writing-to-learn (WTL) instructional strategy has not received sufficient empirical investigation. Using a pretest-posttest, quasi-experimental, non-equivalent, control group design, the WTL strategy was evaluated with 87 undergraduate basic and RN-to-BSN nursing students enrolled in a Nursing Leadership and Management course. Students participating in the course perceived significant benefits of the WTL approach. A significant decrease in writing apprehension was found in the experimental group on two separate measures of writing apprehension. These findings are congruent with the theoretical WTL literature and anecdotal reports of the benefits of using the WTL strategy.