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  4. The Physiotherapy eSkills Training Online resource improves performance of practical skills: a controlled trial

The Physiotherapy eSkills Training Online resource improves performance of practical skills: a controlled trial

BMC Medical Education, 2012 · DOI: 10.1186/1472-6920-12-119 · Published: November 26, 2012

EducationRehabilitation

Simple Explanation

This research investigates if an online training resource enhances practical skills in physiotherapy students. The study involved two groups: one receiving standard instruction and the other receiving standard instruction plus access to the online resource. The online resource included videos, text, and downloadable documents covering various physiotherapy skills. The students using the online resource showed improvement in their practical skills performance. Specifically, they performed better in demonstrating the effectiveness and rationale behind the skills. Students found the online resource very helpful for learning practical skills. They stated the resource helped them improve their skills, prepare for exams, and believed it would be beneficial during clinical practice and as new graduates.

Study Duration
10 weeks
Participants
59 graduate entry physiotherapy students
Evidence Level
Controlled Trial

Key Findings

  • 1
    The Physiotherapy eSkills Training Online resource resulted in an increase of 1.6 out of 25 in the experimental group compared with the control group.
  • 2
    The experimental group scored 0.5 points out of 4 higher than the control group for ‘effectiveness of the practical skill’.
  • 3
    The experimental group scored 0.6 points out of 4 higher for ‘rationale for the practical skill’.

Research Summary

This study examined the effectiveness of the addition of an online resource to usual teaching in improving performance of practical skills in physiotherapy students. There was a trend towards students who had access to the Physiotherapy eSkills Training Online resource scoring higher in the practical examination than students who had usual teaching only. The resource was considered very useful by physiotherapy students. This suggests that the development of online video simulations based on clinical scenarios may be useful in teaching and learning practical skills.

Practical Implications

Enhanced Learning

Online resources can be effectively integrated with traditional teaching methods to improve practical skills acquisition in physiotherapy students.

Resource Optimization

The study suggests that online resources could potentially streamline face-to-face teaching, making physiotherapy education more efficient.

Curriculum Development

The findings support the development of online video simulations based on clinical scenarios for teaching practical skills.

Study Limitations

  • 1
    Non-randomised trial design.
  • 2
    Lack of blinding of participants, teachers, or assessors.
  • 3
    Small sample size leading to a lack of statistical power.

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