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Competence Development in an Undergraduate Physiotherapy Internship Program during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Blended Learning Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Beatriz Ruiz-Ruiz

    (Faculty of Sport Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón, 28670 Madrid, Spain)

  • María García-Arrabé

    (Faculty of Sport Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón, 28670 Madrid, Spain)

  • Rebeca del Prado-Álvarez

    (Faculty of Sport Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón, 28670 Madrid, Spain)

  • Alberto Bermejo-Franco

    (Faculty of Sport Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón, 28670 Madrid, Spain)

  • Raquel Diaz-Meco Conde

    (Faculty of Sport Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón, 28670 Madrid, Spain)

  • Laura González-Fernández

    (Faculty of Sport Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón, 28670 Madrid, Spain)

  • Arian Ramón Aladro-Gonzalvo

    (Faculty of Heatlh Sciences, Universidad Europea de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain)

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the creation of different teaching adaptations shared in health degrees, such as blended teaching methods, including face-to-face learning combined with online learning. Objectives: One objective was to compare the academic performance scores aligned to worked competencies during physiotherapy internships between two groups: one exposed to a blended learning (b-learning) educational model and another exposed to a face-to-face teaching system during internships. Another objective was to study the correlation of the marks of the following year’s internship subject. Design: Analytical study of retrospective cohorts. Settings: Physiotherapy university degree program. Participants: Three hundred students working towards attaining Physiotherapy degrees. Methods: Two groups were studied: the Non-Exposed Cohort, which had 100% face-to-face attendance at the clinical center, and the Exposed Cohort, which experienced b-learning and had 50% attendance at the clinical practice center and 50% completion of asynchronous online complementary training during lockdown. Results: The results show that both in the Exposed Cohort and in the Non-Exposed Cohort, the qualifications and, therefore, the competence development achieved by the students were similar. A stronger correlation with skills activities developed in the Exposed Cohort in relation to the final mark of the following year’s internship subject has been found. Discussion and Conclusions: For all the competencies developed during CS II, participants obtained the same grades in both groups, so it is concluded that the online activities implemented during confinement mixed with face-to-face teaching were useful for the achievement of these skills. Thus, b-learning is a good method for developing clinical practice competencies in physiotherapy students. Contribution of the Paper: Blended teaching (b-teaching) is useful for developing internship competencies. It is necessary to align the activities developed in internships with the evaluated skills.

Suggested Citation

  • Beatriz Ruiz-Ruiz & María García-Arrabé & Rebeca del Prado-Álvarez & Alberto Bermejo-Franco & Raquel Diaz-Meco Conde & Laura González-Fernández & Arian Ramón Aladro-Gonzalvo, 2023. "Competence Development in an Undergraduate Physiotherapy Internship Program during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Blended Learning Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-11, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:15:p:12052-:d:1211833
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. María Consuelo Sáiz-Manzanares & Caroline Françoise Martin & Laura Alonso-Martínez & Leandro S. Almeida, 2021. "Usefulness of Digital Game-Based Learning in Nursing and Occupational Therapy Degrees: A Comparative Study at the University of Burgos," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-18, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Paweł Bęś & Paweł Strzałkowski, 2024. "Analysis of the Effectiveness of Safety Training Methods," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-22, March.

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