Our aim was to explore the current state of e-learning activities during physiotherapy and occupational therapy education, in relation to theories and models about learning. What kind of e-learning activities were described and which were the intentions behind the use of digital support expressed in current physiotherapy and occupational therapy literature? The search was done using four different search engines. Twenty articles met the inclusion criteria and where included. Three categories of e-learning activities were identified. (1) Communication space, (2) enabling learning activities, and (3) ambition to create a learning space. The first category revolved around the individual use of social media, how it could be developed and the benefits from it in a learning environment. The second category had a narrow focus on a specific element of the learning sequence and how it is mastered and/or perceived. The third category, the theoretical base, is varied covering considerations about the learning itself from constructivist and connectivist origin and theories pertaining to the design of teaching and learning activities. The underlying theoretical support for the activity developed was only described in some of the studies. To furthering the field clearer rationale informed by research developed theories and models would promote system alignment and educational development. This review maybe of value to educators in physiotherapy and occupational therapy as it proposes frameworks that may guide in identifying approaches to improve education.

BackgroundFinding the best way to facilitate student learning in clinical practice can be challenging for clinical supervisors. While high levels of trust might jeopardize patient safety, low trust might hinder student learning; however, carrying out professional activities is necessary for students to develop professional competence. There is a dearth of scholarly literature regarding the concept of trust among clinical supervisors in occupational therapy education. A better understanding of how trust is created between the supervisor and student may thus aid in facilitating student learning. The aim of this study, therefore, was to explore occupational therapy clinical supervisors’ perception of trust and how it is formed.MethodsA qualitative method deploying a phenomenographic approach was chosen. Twelve clinical supervisors were interviewed, and the data were analyzed according to the seven-step phenomenographic approach.ResultsThree qualitatively different ways of thinking about trust were found: (1) that trust is about the student and is rather static; (2) trust as a dynamic process based on student performance; and (3) trust as something mutual and interrelated. The findings indicate that trust can be understood in various ways, such as being something inherent in the student or, alternatively, about the student, the supervisor, the relationship between them, and the surrounding context, including the tasks performed. Furthermore, the study shows that trust can be seen either as something static or as a dynamic process.ConclusionsThis study contributes to a deeper understanding of the variation of ways in which the concept of trust is understood among clinical supervisors in occupational therapy. The study corroborates the prior research finding that trust can be understood as a multifaceted construct. It contributes novel insights about the role of the supervisor as an influential factor in the trust-building process. A deep understanding of the possible differences in the ways of conceptualizing something can help supervisors support learning by building on this understanding. The results from this study contribute to our knowledge of the drivers behind entrusted decisions in clinical education in various professional contexts. We suggest that the results be used in the continuing professional development of clinical supervisors.