Effects of Different Teaching Methods on the Teaching Effectiveness of Mechanics Courses: A Network Meta-analysis

A network meta-analysis method was used to systematically evaluate the impact of eight different teaching methods on the teaching effectiveness of mechanics courses. Randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of teaching methods on mechanics courses were searched from domestic databases such as CNKI, Wanfang Database, VIP Database, and international databases such as Web of Science and PubMed. The search was conducted up to January 2024. After literature exclusion, screening, and quality evaluation, 42 articles and 82 sets of randomized controlled trial data were included. The results showed that blended teaching method (MD=1.313, 95%CI=1.054-1.571), simulation teaching method (MD=1.510, 95%CI=0.637-2.382), problem-based learning (MD=1.989, 95%CI=1.004-2.974), diversified teaching method (MD=1.001, 95%CI=0.479-1.524), and flipped classroom (MD=1.142, 95%CI=0.694-1.590) were significantly superior to traditional teaching methods, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between discussion-based teaching method, asynchronous teaching method, and thinking cultivation method and traditional teaching methods (P>0.05). The results of SUCRA ranking based on the cumulative probability area showed that problem-based learning was the optimal teaching method for mechanics courses, with the best teaching effect and a SUCRA probability value of 91.5%. Simulation teaching method and blended teaching method ranked second in teaching effectiveness. This study can provide a reference for the selection of teaching methods and the integration strategies of multiple teaching methods for mechanics courses.