Teaching and Learning are crucial components of the educational process because they help students develop the knowledge and abilities they need to contribute meaningfully to society. To improve students' development, competence, critical thinking, independence, sense of mental well-being and self-confidence, education is essential (Imanipour et al., 2015). In nursing education, research literacy remains crucial for giving nurses the analytical abilities they need to deal with the constantly changing medical landscape and keep an evidence-based treatment philosophy (Duncombe, 2018). Understanding research can help nurses advance both personally and professionally, as well as improve the quality and standards of nursing care (Chien et al., 2013). The traditional teaching method (TTM) and the flipped classroom model method (FCM), also referred to as the self-instruction approach, are the two methods used to teach research methods.

The traditional teaching method is a teacher-directed style of instruction designed to get students to sit still and pay attention (Tularam, 2018). A large number of students receive new information from TTM (Gehlen-Baum and Weinberger, 2014) although its use in small groups has also been documented in various studies (Okoye et al., 2019). The method is flexible and adaptable to various subjects. It has direct control over and observation of the learning environment of the students, teachers can more easily master their craft in the classroom and a teacher can gain extensive insight into the obstacles that students face when trying to learn through the approach (Zakirman et al., 2019).

Despite these identified benefits, the TTM has several setbacks in that it is a one-way process with little opportunity for discussion, probing, or hands-on experience, resulting in students who have less depth of understanding than those who receive instruction through other methods (Marmah, 2014). It also limits the amount of information students can learn because the teacher is the only one who can provide it. As a result, the learner is viewed as a passive receiver of the lesson’s knowledge (Dewi and Primayana, 2019). This not only prevents students from participating in the teaching-learning process but also from acquiring skills necessary for self-directed learning. Meanwhile, teaching and analyzing the effects of teaching methodologies in student training became more crucial than ever because nurses can no longer solely rely on facts and information learned in school to prepare them for future practice (Cardoso et al., 2021). Because of the flaws in TTMs, researchers began looking for alternatives, which led to the learner-centered method of learning also referred to as a self-directed learning method.

In self-directed learning (SDL), students take charge of their education, establish their learning objectives, find relevant resources, select the best learning strategy and evaluate their progress (du Toit-Brits, 2019). The learner assumes responsibility and initiative in determining his or her learning needs and ensuring adequate ways to achieve the learning outcomes, with or without the help of others. The learner is goal-oriented, self-disciplined, independent, persistent and self-assured. The approach boasts a learner's self-assurance, autonomy and motivation, as well as their capacity to identify their knowledge gaps and look for pertinent resources to help them fill them. It also helps learners develop skills for a lifetime of future employment (du Toit-Brits, 2019, Du, 2013). The use of the FCM approach has been demonstrated to enhance learners’ SDL abilities which in turn increases their capacity to participate in lifelong learning (Tsai, 2020).

The flipped classroom model strategy has gained popularity in recent decades as a viable alternative to TTM. It is well-known as a teaching strategy where learners learn course concepts outside of the classroom using online teaching resources like video, film and audio, freeing up classroom time for active learning activities like problem-solving and real-world applications (Cheng et al., 2019, Anshari et al., 2017). The design alleviates the burden of homework for students. Students can watch or listen to lectures at home, which helps them apply what they learn in the classroom and solve problems. This helps them feel less frustrated with homework (Mihai, 2016). In addition, when a student is confused about a new idea, they can ask questions and get timely, targeted answers. Additionally, students who miss class due to illness or for any other reason can more easily and quickly catch up with their peers when using the flipped classroom model as opposed to the traditional one. Instructors can also benefit from flipped learning by recording lectures that cover important concepts, standards of power and the pacing of a specific curriculum map. Because of these advantages, flipped classrooms can produce a situation where teachers and students benefit equally.

More importantly, the FCM qualities of discussion and collaboration provide low achievers the chance to raise concerns that they might not feel comfortable asking their teacher, while high achievers can elaborate on their ideas (Nouri, 2016). It guarantees that students from a variety of racial and socioeconomic backgrounds can participate in academic discourse, which is far too frequently reserved for their more affluent peers. Students hardly ever ask teachers to repeat themselves or to interrupt them to get clarification. However, when working with peers, a student would repeatedly ask a peer to clarify something or slow down until it was understood (Nouri, 2016, Wiliam, 2011). The pace of learning is controlled by the students themselves (Lam et al., 2019). When teachers implement a flipped classroom model, they typically swap out theory-based summative assessment techniques with more hands-on activities and assessments that focus on helping students develop real-world skills (Fleischmann, 2021).

Several studies that looked at how implementing FCM might affect teacher satisfaction and student perceptions and performance also discovered that using FCM improved both teacher satisfaction and student perceptions and performance. According to most students (Alamri, 2019, Jdaitawi, 2019, Unal and Unal, 2017), they were happier and had a better learning experience in the FCM environment. In a study by Joseph et al. (2021), the flipped classroom approach improved the anatomy and physiology course performance and satisfaction of Omani nursing students. The study compared the flipped method and the didactic lecture format with Omani nursing students. Barranquero-Herbosa et al. (2022) reported improved performance and positive feedback from both faculty and students using FCM. In addition, Ni et al. (2024) in a quantitative also found that the use of PBL in a flipped classroom in a pediatric nursing course increased student interest in learning, strengthened their ability to learn independently, improved their capacity for independent thought and problem-solving, fostered a sense of teamwork and helped them acquire new knowledge and skills. Although Song and Hill (2007) denied a connection between the growth of self-directed learning preparation skills and the flipped classroom approach, numerous studies have highlighted the effectiveness of flipped classrooms in enhancing student learning outcomes and have urged their adoption (Lo et al., 2018, Tan et al., 2017).

Notwithstanding, Nursing undergraduates in Southeast Nigeria offering research methods are taught using TTM even though new approaches to teaching and learning have been promulgated in higher institutions but studies have revealed there is a decline in learning achievements both in research theoretical knowledge and research writing implementation (Dadipoor et al., 2019, Chukwu et al., 2016). The teaching strategies employed are to be blamed for this decline. It is therefore essential to investigate the effectiveness and impact of alternative teaching strategies, which is why the current study was conducted. It is expected that the study's findings will contribute to the body of knowledge and provide insight into the prevalence of self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) among nursing undergraduates as well as the most effective teaching approach for promoting SDLR and rewarding learning. The study's particular objectives were to determine the learning achievement levels and SDLR of nursing undergraduates in the selected Department of Nursing Sciences prior to and after the intervention, as well as whether or not the SDLR of participants exposed to FCM and TTM at the pre- and post-intervention differed statistically significantly.