Which learning activities enhance physical therapist practice? Part 1: Systematic review and meta-analysis of quantitative studies

Objective. Following graduation from professional education, the development of clinical expertise requires career-long participation in learning activities. The purpose of study was to evaluate which learning activities enhanced physical therapist practice. Methods. Eight databases were searched for studies published from inception through December 2018. Articles reporting quantitative data evaluating the effectiveness of learning activities completed by qualified physical therapists were included. Study characteristics and results were extracted from the 26 randomized controlled trials that met the inclusion criteria. Clinician (knowledge, affective attributes, and behavior) and patient related outcomes were extracted. Results: There was limited evidence that professional development courses improved physical therapist knowledge. There was low-level evidence that peer assessment and feedback was more effective than case discussion at improving knowledge (SMD = 0.35, 95%CI = 0.09-0.62). Results were inconsistent for the effect of learning activities on affective attributes. Courses with active learning components appeared more effective at changing physical therapist behavior. The completion of courses by physical therapists did not improve patient outcomes; however, the addition of a mentored patient interaction appeared impactful. Conclusions. Current evidence suggests active approaches, such as peer assessment and mentored patient interactions, should be used when designing learning activities for physical therapists. Further high-quality research focused on evaluating the impact of active learning interventions on physical therapist practice and patient outcomes is now needed. Impact. This study is a first step in determining which learning activities enhance clinical expertise and practice would enable the physical therapy profession to make informed decisions about the allocation of professional development resources

Perspectives of Elementary Teachers Implementing Blended Learning While Participating in Virtual Coaching

As the use of blended learning in classrooms has increased across the United States, it is important to provide differentiated professional development and support to educators. As a technology-enabled form of professional development, virtual coaching connects teachers with experts in the field. However, the usefulness of individualized virtual coaching as a differentiated professional development support for elementary teachers implementing blended learning is not well understood. Using Kolb’s experiential learning theory and Magana’s T3 framework, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore elementary teachers’ perspectives on the usefulness of individualized virtual coaching in supporting blended learning implementation and to determine how the level at which the teachers used technology influenced their perspectives. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 K-5 teachers who participated in at least 1 year of virtual coaching for blended learning. Interview data were analyzed using a priori and emergent coding. Results indicated teachers at higher modes of cognitive processing and higher levels of technology innovation found virtual coaching useful for (a) the implementation of technology tools and strategies, (b) for shifting instructional practices for student impacts, and (c) for reflective practices for professional growth. This study contributes knowledge to the field of blended learning professional development and furthers understanding of virtual coaching as an innovative approach to professional learning. The findings may contribute to positive social change in that school districts can make informed professional development decisions that provide a convenient and flexible means for K-5 teachers to access expert support for blended learning implementation

Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies

A systematic search of the research literature from 1996 through July 2008 identified more than a thousand empirical studies of online learning. Analysts screened these studies to find those that (a) contrasted an online to a face-to-face condition, (b) measured student learning outcomes, (c) used a rigorous research design, and (d) provided adequate information to calculate an effect size. As a result of this screening, 51 independent effects were identified that could be subjected to meta-analysis. The meta-analysis found that, on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction. The difference between student outcomes for online and face-to-face classes—measured as the difference between treatment and control means, divided by the pooled standard deviation—was larger in those studies contrasting conditions that blended elements of online and face-to-face instruction with conditions taught entirely face-to-face. Analysts noted that these blended conditions often included additional learning time and instructional elements not received by students in control conditions. This finding suggests that the positive effects associated with blended learning should not be attributed to the media, per se. An unexpected finding was the small number of rigorous published studies contrasting online and face-to-face learning conditions for K–12 students. In light of this small corpus, caution is required in generalizing to the K–12 population because the results are derived for the most part from studies in other settings (e.g., medical training, higher education)

Promoting the Social Competence of Each and Every Child in Inclusive Early Childhood Classrooms

Social competence is part of a complex system that extends beyond the young child, necessitating prevention, assessment, and intervention. In this chapter, social competence in early childhood is examined considering existing research, developmental theory, and best practices and policies, many of which (on their own) address limited facets of a complex set of interactive competencies and outcomes. The potential and pitfalls of inclusive early childhood classroom structures relative to supporting interaction and social skill development are explored. Next, some of the most common social issues related to disabilities are described. These include deficits associated with specific developmental issues, such as emotional and behavioral issues autism, as well as others covered under the federal law (IDEA); universal practices for understanding and addressing student strengths and needs are shared. Finally, structures for addressing social interaction and supporting social competence in inclusive classrooms are presented. A conceptual model integrating professional preparation and the key components of inclusive preschool education for children with social competence needs is shared. These serve to illustrate practices and strategies which are supported by extant literature and acknowledge the dignity of children and their need for effective early childhood educational practices

Reconciling Contemporary Approaches to School Attendance and School Absenteeism: Toward Promotion and Nimble Response, Global Policy Review and Implementation, and Future Adaptability (Part 1)

School attendance is an important foundational competency for children and adolescents, and school absenteeism has been linked to myriad short- and long-term negative consequences, even into adulthood. Many efforts have been made to conceptualize and address this population across various categories and dimensions of functioning and across multiple disciplines, resulting in both a rich literature base and a splintered view regarding this population. This article (Part 1 of 2) reviews and critiques key categorical and dimensional approaches to conceptualizing school attendance and school absenteeism, with an eye toward reconciling these approaches (Part 2 of 2) to develop a roadmap for preventative and intervention strategies, early warning systems and nimble response, global policy review, dissemination and implementation, and adaptations to future changes in education and technology. This article sets the stage for a discussion of a multidimensional, multi-tiered system of supports pyramid model as a heuristic framework for conceptualizing the manifold aspects of school attendance and school absenteeism

Seizing the Moment: Realizing the Promise of Student-Centered Learning

This brief outlines policy recommendations for supporting student-centered learning at the local, state, and federal level

Self regulated learning in flipped classrooms: A systematic literature review

The flipped classroom is considered an instructional strategy and a type of blended learning instruction that focused on active learning and student engagement. Over the years, flipped classroom studies have focused more on the advantages and challenges of flipped instruction and its effectiveness, but little is known about the state of self-regulation in flipped classrooms. This study investigates the self-regulation strategies as well as the supports proposed for self-regulated learning in flipped classrooms. Findings show that relatively few studies have focused on self-regulated learning in flipped classrooms compared to the overall research and publication productivity in flipped classrooms. Also, the existing solutions and supports have only focused on either self-regulation or online help-seeking, but have not focused on other specific types of self-regulation strategies. Our study proposed some future research recommendations in flipped classrooms

Using Mobile Technology to Increase the Math Achievement and Engagement of Students with Disabilities

The advent of advanced technologies provides new opportunities for delivering instruction to students with disabilities. Many classrooms have access to mobile devices, such as iPads and Kindles, and educators utilize these devices to differentiate instruction and augment teacher-led instruction. This delivery method, known as blended learning, can create an enriched learning environment where students are exposed to individualized lessons that are self-paced and provide multiple modes of presentation. However, there is little empirical investigation into how students interact with digital devices or what components of online learning directly impact student learning and engagement with the content. In order to design authentic learning experiences that support students with disabilities and provide access to the general education curriculum, it is critical that researchers thoroughly examine the design on digital lessons and how students navigate digital environments. The focus of this study was to investigate how students use mobile devices in a classroom setting and how they interact with academic content delivered in a digital format. The math achievement and engagement of students with disabilities was compared in two conditions - teacher-led math instruction (Traditional Math Instruction, TMI) and instruction delivered on a mobile device (Mobile App Instruction, MAI). Additionally, teacher and student perceptions of math knowledge and engagement were collected for both conditions using surveys. The surveys were administered after the intervention was completed. The results of the study indicate neither instructional method was significantly more effective in increasing the math achievement or the engagement of students with disabilities. Survey data revealed the teacher did not feel one condition was more effective at increasing math achievement or engagement. Data from the student surveys indicated that students in the TMI condition felt they learned more and were more engaged than the students in the MAI condition. Observational data indicated there was no significant difference in engagement for students in the TMI group and the MAI group. Data collected from the online learning platform suggested students easily accessed the lessons and completed embedded activities and questions. However, data from the learning videos indicate students accessed the videos but did not watch them through to completion, and did not answer the embedded questions