The development of a framework for the education and training of undergraduate physiotherapy students

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Date
2002
Authors
Krause, Maria Wichura
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: Higher education and health care have undergone profound changes over the past decade, world-wide but particularly in South Africa. Physiotherapy as a profession cannot stand apart from this, and therefore the education and -training of professional physiotherapists need to be taken under scrutiny. The purpose of this research was to develop a framework with a view to making a contribution to physiotherapy education and training and health care. The research comprised a literature survey (examining educational and health requirements, needs and trends), interviews with physiotherapy educators in the United Kingdom, (to investigate aspects of their education and training), and departmental workshops in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State (to reflect on and brainstorm the physiotherapy curriculum of the Department of Physiotherapy of this University). The physiotherapy curricula of a number of institutions offering physiotherapy education and training were studied as well. The literature survey paid attention to the transformation of the health care system in South Africa, the transformation of higher education and academic and educational requirements in South Africa, national and international trends in physiotherapy education, and the physiotherapy requirements of the population of South Africa. Based on the results of these exercises, a measuring instrument for the education and training of professional physiotherapists was compiled. The Delphi technique was employed as research method to test the measuring instrument. The Delphi technique is used to gain expert opinions on a matter or research problem. Delphi comprises submitting a questionnaire/research instrument to a panel of experts to elicit opinions and ideas. The instrument is implemented over a number of rounds until an acceptable degree of consensus is reached regarding the questions that were asked. In this study the instrument was converted into a checklist, comprising statements which were to be rated on a 5-point rating scale, and an opportunity for respondents comment on the statements. Seven domain experts were selected as respondents. Two rounds of the Delphi technique were required before acceptable consensus was reached and a final framework for the development of a physiotherapy education and training programme could be compiled. In short this framework comprises a vision and a mission for professional physical therapy, the objectives of physiotherapy education and training and definitions of physiotherapy as a profession and the physiotherapist as a qualified, registered professional health care worker. This is followed by the exit level outcomes of a physiotherapist education and training programme, as well as the specific and critical (non-context specific) outcomes that should be achieved to obtain a qualification. The themes that ought to be covered in order to be able to reach the outcomes are described, as well as requirements for the education and training progress and structure, in which aspects such as teaching and training approaches, student selection, recognition of prior learning, mobility and portability are attended to. This framework, which is the result of an in-depth and comprehensive study of higher education demands and requirements, the history of physiotherapy as health care profession and current needs of and trends in the profession, and the demands and requirements of health care in South Africa with special emphasis on physiotherapy, has the potential to be used over the wide front of physiotherapy education and training. The framework has been designed in a way which will enable institutions offering physiotherapy education and training to use it in developing innovative curricula. Through this a contribution can be made to physiotherapy education and training specifically, but also to health care.
Afrikaans: Hoër onderwys en gesondheidsorg het oor die afgelope dekade ingrypende veranderinge ondergaan, wêreldwyd en in Suid-Afrika. Fisioterapie as professie kan nie hiervan ontkom nie, en daarom moet die onderwys en -opleiding van professionele fisioterapeute opnuut in oënskou geneem word. Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om 'n ontwikkelingsraamwerk daar te stel met die oog daarop om 'n bydrae te maak tot fisioterapie-onderwys en - opleiding, en daarmee ook tot gesondheidsorg. Die navorsing het die volgende behels: 'n literatuurstudie, waartydens ondersoek ingestel is na onderwys- en gesondheidsvereistes, -behoeftes en -tendense; onderhoude met fisioterapiedosente in die Verenigde Koninkryk om aspekte van hulonderwys en opleiding te ondersoek; en departementele werkwinkels in die Fakulteit Gesondheidswetenskappe, Universiteit van die Vrystaat, om te besin oor die fisioterapie kurrikulum van die Departement Fisioterapie aan hierdie universiteit. Die fisioterapie-kurrikula van 'n aantal ander instellings in Suid-Afrika is ook bestudeer. In die literatuurstudie is aandag geskenk aan die transformasie van die gesondheidsorgstelsel in Suid-Afrika, die transformasie van die hoër onderwysstelsel en akademiese en onderwyskundige vereistes, nasionale en internasionale tendense in fisioterapie-onderwys en -opleiding, en die behoeftes van die bevolking van Suid-Afrika ten opsigte van fisioterapie. Op grond van die resultate van hierdie oefeninge is 'n instrument vir die onderwys en opleiding van professionele fisioterapeute daargestel. Die Delphi-tegniek is hierna gebruik as navorsingsmetode om die instrument te toets. Die Delphi-tegniek word aangewend om deskundige menings oor 'n saak of navorsingsprobleem in te win. Delphi behels dat 'n vraelys of navorsingsinstrument aan 'n paneel van deskundiges voorgehou word om uit te vind wat die individue se menings en idees is. Die instrument word vir 'n aantal rondtes geïmplementeer totdat 'n aanvaarbare mate van konsensus bereik is ten opsigte van die vrae wat gevra is. In dié studie is die instrument omskep in 'n vraelys, bestaande uit stellngs wat op 'n 5-puntskaal beoordeel moes word, en 'n geleentheid is ook aan respondente gebied om opmerkings aangaande die stellings te maak. Sewe domeindeskundiges is as respondente geselekteer. Twee rondtes van die Delphi-tegniek was nodig voordat aanvaarbare konsensus bereik is, en 'n finale raamwerk vir die ontwikkeling van 'n fisioterapie-onderwys- en opleidingsprogram daargestel kon word. Kortliks behels die raamwerk, wat die finale uitkoms van hierdie studie is, 'n visie en missie vir professionele fisioterapie, die doelwitte vir fisioterapieonderwys en -opleiding, en definisies van fisioterapie en die fisioterapeut as gekwalifiseerde, geregistreerde professionele gesondheidswerker. Dit word gevolg deur die verskillende tipes uitkomste wat bereik moet word om "n kwalifikasie te behaal. Die temas wat gedek moet word ten einde in staat te wees om die uitkomste te bereik, word beskryf, asook die vereistes vir die onderwys- en opleidingsproses en -struktuur, waar aandag geskenk word aan aspekte soos onderrig- en opleidingsbenaderings, keuring van studente, erkenning van voorafleer, mobiliteit en oordraagbaarheid. Die raamwerk, wat die resultaat is van 'n intensiewe en omvattende studie van hoëronderwyseise en -vereistes, die geskiedenis van fisioterapie as gesondheidsorgprofessie, huidige behoefte wat deur fisioterapie aangespreek kan word en tendense in die professie, asook die eise en vereistes van gesondheidsorg in Suid-Afrika, met spesifieke verwysing na fisioterapie, het die potensiaal om oor 'n wye front in fisioterapie-onderwys en -opleiding aangewend te word. Die raamwerk is so ontwikkel dat dit instellings wat fisioterapie-onderwys en -opleiding aanbied in staat sal stelom dit te gebruik in die ontwikkeling van innoverende kurrikula. Hierdeur kan 'n bydrae gelewer word tot fisioterapie-onderwys en -opleiding spesifiek, maar ook tot gesondheidsorg en die welsyn van die bevolking.
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Keywords
Physiotherapy, The South African Society of Physiotherapy, Framework, Outcomes-based Programme, Community-based Programme, South African Qualifications Authority, National Qualifications Framework, Education and Training Programme, Delphi technique, Community health care needs, Physical therapy -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Bloemfontein, Physical therapists -- South Africa -- Bloemfontein, Thesis (Ph.D. (Physiotheraphy))--University of the Free State, 2002
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