Readiness towards online learning among physiotherapy undergraduates

Transforming traditional physiotherapy hands-on skills teaching into video-based learning

BACKGROUND

Pandemic-induced restrictions forced curriculum transformation from on-site education to virtual learning options. This report describes this transition, the challenge of creating technology-enhanced learning for hands-on psychomotor skills teaching in physiotherapy, and students' evaluations of the new technology-enhanced learning approach in Complex Decongestive Physiotherapy.

METHODS

On-site theoretical background lectures were replaced with e-learning sessions. Faculty hands-on skills demonstrations for the entire class were replaced with video-recorded demonstrations. Videos included verbal and written instructions and were complemented with checklists guiding the students, training in pairs, through their learning tasks. A cross-sectional observational survey for teaching quality evaluated this new technology-enhanced learning approach and assessed students' preference for traditional or video-based hands-on skills learning.

RESULTS

Survey return rate was > 50% (46 participating students). Teaching quality was rated between 1.5 ± 0.5 and 1.8 ± 0.4 (Likert scale from - 2 to + 2). Most students (66.7%) preferred the new approach. They appreciated for example that videos were available all the time, enabling self-paced learning, providing an equally good view on skills demonstrations, and the convenience to be able to rewind, re-view, and use speed adjustment options.

CONCLUSIONS

Students preferred the new video-based learning of skills for Complex Decongestive Physiotherapy. Because in-class live skills demonstrations were omitted, faculty had more time to provide individual feedback and answer questions. The shift from teacher- to student-centered learning enabled students to control their own learning pace. The innovative program was maintained after pandemic-induced restrictions were lifted. The success of this approach should be tested in other physiotherapy settings and different educational institutions.

Reliability and validity assessment of the Chinese version of the online learning readiness scale (OLRS) for nursing students

BACKGROUND

Online education has become the new normal for higher education. Online Learning Readiness (OLR) is a prerequisite for learners' effective learning and academic achievement. However, at present, China still lacks an instrument to effectively measure nursing students' online learning readiness under the new information technology innovation.

OBJECTIVE

This study determined the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of Online. Learning Readiness Scale (OLRS) developed by Tang and the online learning readiness (OLR) of nursing students in China.

DESIGN

A descriptive cross-sectional study was used.

SETTING

A public medical university in southeast China.

PARTICIPANTS

This study included 465, nursing students from freshmen to seniors who attended at least one online course with the final assessment completed.

METHODS

This study adopted OLRS (Tang), which was translated with the Brislin model (translation, back translation, and integration) following the authorization of the developer. Expert analysis was taken for content validity. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used to test the structural validity. As to the convergence validity, this study employed the Pearson correlation coefficient between OLRS (Tang) and OLRS (Hung). Besides, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was taken to evaluate the internal consistency.

RESULTS

The instrument showed satisfactory content validity (I-CVI = 0.80-1.00, S-CVI = 0.97). According to CFA, the structure with five factors (technology readiness, learner control, online communication self-efficacy, self-directed learning, motivation for learning) showed acceptable model fit (χ²/df 3.46, CFI 0.90, IFI 0.90, RMSEA 0.07 and SRMR 0.03). Convergence validity (r = 0.67, P < 0.01), and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.95). In addition, the OLR of Chinese nursing students is moderate.

CONCLUSION

The Chinese version of OLRS (Tang) proved to be an effective, reliable and relatively concise measurement instrument.

Translation of surface electromyography to clinical and motor rehabilitation applications: The need for new clinical figures

Advanced sensors/electrodes and signal processing techniques provide powerful tools to analyze surface electromyographic signals (sEMG) and their features, to decompose sEMG into the constituent motor unit action potential trains, and to identify synergies, neural muscle drive, and EEG-sEMG coherence. However, despite thousands of articles, dozens of textbooks, tutorials, consensus papers, and European and International efforts, the translation of this knowledge into clinical activities and assessment procedures has been very slow, likely because of lack of clinical studies and competent operators in the field. Understanding and using sEMG-based hardware and software tools requires a level of knowledge of signal processing and interpretation concepts that is multidisciplinary and is not provided by most academic curricula in physiotherapy, movement sciences, neurophysiology, rehabilitation, sport, and occupational medicine. The chasm existing between the available knowledge and its clinical applications in this field is discussed as well as the need for new clinical figures. The need for updating the training of physiotherapists, neurophysiology technicians, and clinical technologists is discussed as well as the required competences of trainers and trainees. Indications and examples are suggested and provide a basis for addressing the problem. Two teaching examples are provided in the Supplementary Material.

Personal, Academic Stressors and Environmental Factors Contributing to Musculoskeletal Pain among Undergraduates Due to Online Learning: A Mixed Method Study with Data Integration

AIM

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to adaptation in teaching and learning methods. There is a possibility that this shift from the classroom to online learning will persist post-pandemic with implications to all involved. We explored the contribution of personal, academic stressors and environmental factors contributing to musculoskeletal pain among undergraduates due to online learning by integrating data from an online survey and one-to-one in-depth interviews. The association between musculoskeletal pain, personal, academic stressors and environmental factors among undergraduates due to online learning was also investigated.

METHODS

Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. A questionnaire was completed by 179 undergraduates (34 males and 145 females) aged between 18 to 25 years old. This was followed by an online, in-depth, one-to-one interview among 10 female undergraduates who reported severe musculoskeletal pain. The two sets of findings were integrated using a triangulation protocol.

RESULT

The three most common musculoskeletal pains experienced by undergraduates due to online learning were low back (73.2%), followed by neck (68.7%) and shoulder (58.7%) pain. The six main themes identified from the interviews were: (1) Musculoskeletal pain characteristics; (2) academic issues; (3) difficulties faced by undergraduates due to teaching and learning; (4) emotions towards work/study; (5) work environment; and (6) time spent working at a workstation. Upper back pain was identified to be associated with personal (p < 0.05) and most environmental factors (p < 0.05). From the triangulation model, it was shown that personal, academic stressors and environmental factors were mainly from the workstation, uncomfortable environment, working posture and time spent at the workstation, which all contributed to musculoskeletal pain.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that exercise, academic stressors, and environmental factors were associated with musculoskeletal pain among undergraduates due to online teaching and learning sessions. There may be a need to integrate an online prevention of musculoskeletal pain education package based on a biopsychosocial model with online teaching and learning for undergraduates.