Using Multimedia to Teach Physical Therapy Skills
Author Information
Author(s): Smith A Russell Jr, Cavanaugh Cathy, Moore W Allen
Primary Institution: Lynchburg College, University of Florida
Hypothesis
Does instructional multimedia affect student study behavior and attitudes toward teaching methods?
Conclusion
Multimedia provides an efficient method to teach psychomotor skills to students entering the health professions.
Supporting Evidence
- Students in the multimedia group reported greater study time alone compared to other groups.
- Both students and instructors identified advantages and disadvantages for both instructional techniques.
- Students appreciated the autonomy provided by multimedia learning.
Takeaway
This study looked at how using videos and CDs to teach physical therapy skills can help students learn better and feel more in control of their studies.
Methodology
Students were divided into control and experimental groups to learn knee and ankle examination techniques using either live demonstrations or multimedia.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reporting and the use of a non-validated survey tool.
Limitations
The study included only two physical therapy programs and relied on self-reported study times.
Participant Demographics
45 student physical therapists from two universities, with a mean age of 24.69 years for one group and 25.13 years for another.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.015
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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