Evaluation of learning approaches in physiotherapy students: A valuable insight

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Every individual has different learning approaches in acquisition and processing of knowledge. Physiotherapy, an evolving allied health science profession, is developing rapidly. Exploration of learning approaches among physiotherapy students will help the academicians to enrich the quality of learning. This study aimed to analyze the learning approaches among physiotherapy students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 435 physiotherapy students. The Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students questionnaire was used to evaluate learning approaches in both preclinical and clinical students. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 21. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 435 participants, 233 (53.56%) in preclinical phase and 202 (46.44%) in clinical phase with a mean age of 19.01 ± 1.01 and 22.03 ± 1.43 years, respectively, participated in the study. Among the 435 students, 411 (94.49%) adopted the deep approach, while only 21 (4.83%) and 3 (0.69%) adopted strategic approach and surface approach, respectively. Preclinical students had significantly higher mean scores for strategic and surface approaches than clinical (P = 0.000) and (P = 0.000) using independent t-test, respectively. Out of the 435 students, 50 (11.45%) were male and 385 (88.51%) were female. Male students appeared less likely to adopt the deep learning approach than female students (P = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of learning approaches will assist the academicians to develop teaching and learning strategies and effective curriculum depending on the perspectives of students. Multiple methodologies focused on interactive student-centric approach should be utilized to enhance positive learning outcomes.