Placement Education Pedagogy as Social Participation: What are Students Really Learning?

Not letting a good crisis go to waste - learnings from a fully online professional placement

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physiotherapy education meant that innovative responses were needed quickly. This paper describes a scholarly approach to changes within an entry-level physiotherapy program where one of its clinical placements was replaced with a fully online unit during 2020, as well as exploring the experiences of students who completed this newly developed online unit.

METHODS

A mixed methods approach was used. Sixteen of a possible 31 students responded to an online survey comprising quantitative and open-ended questions.

RESULTS

The majority of participants were satisfied with the unit and reported that: the unit helped them to learn valuable skills; feedback from educators was helpful; and that they were able to apply to future contexts. Small numbers of students were more ambivalent about the use of online media and tools including discussion boards, the workload and being part of a learning community.

CONCLUSION

The online unit described in this research is evidence that non-traditional forms of clinical education might also address clinically important learning outcomes, provide sustainable options and alleviate some of the stresses that both tertiary providers and healthcare settings endure. However, these types of placement experiences require a paradigm shift from educators, the profession, accrediting bodies and even future students.

Situated learning theory in health professions education research: a scoping review

At a time when cognitive and behavioral theories dominated the landscape of learning theories, Lave and Wenger's situated learning theory (SLT) opened new territory by illuminating social and cultural learning processes. Many researchers and educators in the health professions embraced this theory, but few have considered how SLT has been used and what has been learned or improved through its use in health professions education (HPE). In this scoping review, the authors examine these questions and consider opportunities for future work with SLT in HPE. The authors followed Levac's modified scoping review framework. They conducted a search of CINAHL, ERIC, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for articles referencing SLT or related concepts in HPE between 2006 and 2016. Two reviewers screened all titles and abstracts, then screened full text for inclusion based on substantive treatment of SLT. Two authors extracted, analyzed and synthesized data from the final set of 193 articles. The authors identified two patterns of theory use. One sought an understanding of social learning processes in a specific context. The other aimed to design and/or evaluate interventions associated with communities of practice. These patterns are similar to other literatures (e.g., general education, healthcare, and organizational development) and, according to Lave and Wenger, may reflect confusion about the purpose, stance, and terminology of SLT. The authors discuss their findings in relation to primary source literature and consider opportunities for HPE researchers to employ and contribute to SLT going forward.

International students in professional placements: supervision strategies for positive learning experiences

BACKGROUND

Professional placements are critical elements of speech-language pathology qualifying programmes that can be complex learning environments for international students. Students are supported by placement educators who facilitate their developing skills and competencies for professional practice in these placements. However, strategies that facilitate international students' learning in placements have not been identified.

AIMS

To identify strategies that are reported by speech-language pathology international students and placement educators to facilitate positive learning experiences and competency development in practice placements.

METHODS & PROCEDURES

This study used an exploratory research design to gather data from four focus groups with international students and five focus groups with placement educators. Thematic analysis was used to identify strategies, and these were interpreted using two theories of learning.

OUTCOMES & RESULTS

Four themes were identified that described international students' placement experiences and learning. For each theme, strategies were identified that placement educators can practically and responsively implement with international students to enable positive placement learning experiences.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS

These strategies support international students to manage acculturative adjustments for the cultural and learning requirements of placements that may facilitate their successful participation, and provide structure to reduce their cognitive load. However, strategies to develop communication skills for practice were less feasible. Through fostering positive placement experiences, these strategies may also facilitate opportunities for educators and international students to share intercultural skills and knowledge that may be transferable to practice.

Drawing on drawings: Moving beyond text in health professions education research

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A Consensus Model: Shifting assessment practices in dietetics tertiary education

AIM

The aim of this research was to evaluate a Consensus Model for competency-based assessment.

METHODS

An evaluative case study was used to allow a holistic examination of a constructivist-interpretivist programmatic model of assessment. Using a modified Delphi process, the competence of all 29 students enrolled in their final year of a Master of Nutrition and Dietetics course was assessed by a panel (with expertise in competency-based assessment; industry and academic representation) from a course e-portfolio (that included the judgements of student performance made by worksite educators) and a panel interview. Data were triangulated with assessments from a capstone internship. Qualitative descriptive studies with worksite educators (focus groups n = 4, n = 5, n = 8) and students (personal interviews n = 29) explored stakeholder experiences analysed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Panel consensus was achieved for all cases by the third-round and corroborated by internship outcomes. For 34% of students this differed to the 'interpretations' of their performance made by their worksite educator/s. Emerging qualitative themes from stakeholder data found the model: (i) supported sustainable assessment practices; (ii) shifted the power relationship between students and worksite educators and (iii) provided a fair method to assess competence. To maximise benefits, more refinement, resources and training are required.

CONCLUSIONS

This research questions competency-based assessment practices based on discrete placement units and supports a constructivist-interpretivist programmatic approach where evidence across a whole course of study is considered by a panel of assessors.

'How families live …' - the views and experiences of parent-carers who provide family placements to intellectual disability nursing students

AIM

We aimed to learn about the value of family placements from the perspective of parent-carers who provide them to nurse students via a Scottish university Family Placement Scheme.

METHOD

Qualitative interviews were conducted with seven parent-carers who provided a family placement over two academic years. Descriptive data was analysed, organized into themes and subject to content analysis: parents' descriptions of caring; their perceived value of family placements; and their views and experiences of participation in intellectual disability nurse education.

RESULTS

Family placements are beneficial to nurse students and families with children with an intellectual disability. Description of wider aspects of caring was provided, offering insight into learning experiences of students on placement.

CONCLUSION

This model of learning provides opportunities for students to appreciate the reality of caring for a relative with an intellectual disability at home. Students develop their practice skills for working in partnership with family carers.

Dietetics students' construction of competence through assessment and placement experiences

AIM

Competency standards are widely adopted as a framework to describe standards of performance required in the workplace. Little is known, however, about how students construct competence. This qualitative study aimed to explore how dietetics students ready to graduate construct the concept of competence and the role of assessment in developing professional competence.

METHODS

A qualitative description was used to gather data from a convenience sample of students ready to graduate from universities with accredited dietetics programs across Australia (10 out of 15 at the time of the study). A total of 11 focus groups were conducted to explore perspectives of competence and experiences of 'competency-based' assessment. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using a thematic analysis approach.

RESULTS

A total of 81 (n = 81) participants across 10 universities representing 22% of total students participated in the focus groups. Themes revealed that: (i) there is no shared understanding of competence; (ii) current work placement experiences may not reflect current standards or workforce needs; (iii) assessment approaches may not fully support the development of competence; and (iv) the competent performance of supervising dietitians/clinical educators in the workplace influences the construction of competence.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a need to work towards a shared understanding of dietetic entry-level competence in the profession. 'Work-based' learning experiences may need to be modified to ensure students meet current competency standards. Practitioners involved in student supervision need to acknowledge the influential role they have in the development of the future workforce.