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A Faculty’s Experience in Changing Instructional Methods in a Professional Physical Therapist Education Program

L Foord-May, PT, PhD, Director of Department of Online Teaching and Learning, School for Health Studies, Simmons College, 300 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115-5820 (USA)

(foord{at}simmons.edu)

Background and Purpose. In response to the demands of a changing practice environment, many physical therapist educators have incorporated problem-based learning methods into their teaching. The purpose of this study was to describe a physical therapist program faculty’s experience in transitioning from traditional instruction to problem-based instructional methods.

Subjects and Methods. Face-to-face, semistructured interviews followed by a focus group were conducted with 7 faculty members, guided by questions about factors that influenced instructors’ experience of changing instructional methods.

Results. Nine themes described the faculty’s experience: perception of need for teaching change, personal knowledge of problem-based learning, decision-making process, peer support, partial adoption, values related to teaching and learning, significant response from the community, administrative support, and perceived barriers to incorporation of problem-based methods.

Discussion and Conclusion. The findings are consistent with literature describing change: change is a process, the process of change must accommodate individual change, a network of peer support is necessary, and the change process requires leadership and support from administrators within and outside of the group. [Foord-May L. A faculty’s experience in changing instructional methods in a professional physical therapist education program.

Key Words: Education: faculty • Education: physical therapist students • Education: problem-based learning