Experiential Learning in Pediatric Physical Therapist Education: Challenges and Facilitators

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct an in-depth investigation of physical therapist educators' challenges to and facilitators of the use of experiential learning (EL) with children. Although EL with children has been called an essential component of doctor of physical therapy (DPT) education, variability in the amount of EL used among DPT programs indicates that educators may experience different challenges and facilitators of the use of EL. Methods: Eighteen pediatric DPT educators participated in a semistructured interview. Researchers used thematic analysis to qualitatively analyze interview transcripts. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) stakeholder considerations, (2) pedagogical considerations, and (3) logistical considerations. Conclusions: This research illustrates challenges and facilitators to the use of EL with children. How these challenges and facilitators are perceived by DPT educators has implications for faculty and program directors, particularly as they consider the use of EL with children in DPT programs nationally.

The How and the Why of Including Children: Experiential Learning in Teaching Physical Therapist Students

“…This was a qualitative study using semistructured interviews with 18 pediatric DPT educators. This study was part of an exploratory sequential mixed-methods study 8,13. The overall procedures in this study have been published previously13 and portions of those procedures are replicated with permission.…”

“…This study was part of an exploratory sequential mixed-methods study. 8,13 The overall procedures in this study have been published previously 13 and portions of those procedures are replicated with permission. The full methods from this study are available in Supplemental Digital Content 1, available at: http://links.lww.com/PPT/A387.…”

“…Educators reported that they include approximately 4 to 40 hours of EL with children, 2 to 30 hours of which include children with participation restrictions. The mean hours of EL with any children were 18.8 hours, with children with participation restrictions were 12.2 hours (further details of the EL used by educators have been published as part of this mixedmethods study 13 ). In addition, 1 educator reported that their DPT program includes a mandatory full-time pediatric clinical experience for all students that totaled 120 hours (these hours were not included in the calculation of mean hours of EL because the research team regarded this as an extreme outlier).…”