Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Physical therapists Education Victoria'

Recruitmuent and retention of Physical Therapists (PTs) by public school systems has been identified in the literature as a significant problem, and the resultant shortage of school-based PTs hinders the capability of school systems to deliver physical therapy services to exceptional students as mandated by federal statute. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of job satisfaction among physical therapists who currently work in public school settings. Job satisfaction can be an important factor affecting recruitment and retention. A systematic sample of 462 school-based PTs was chosen to receive via mail a survey instrument which requested information regarding age, gender, highest academic degree, salary, and various aspects of their working environment. In addition, the survey instrument included the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form(MSQ), and three open-ended questions. There was a 67% return rate. The results of the study showed that the majority of PTs working in public schools are satisfied with their jobs. Their principal sources of satisfaction included the opportunity for social service, job security, creativity, flexibility, autonomy, and the opportunity to work with children and to see them succeed. They were dissatisfied with school policies and procedures, opportunities for advancement, quality of supervision, high caseloads, and limited space and equipment. It was concluded that school administrators charged with recruitment and retention of PTs should consider inclusion of PTs in supervision and in the development of policies and procedures. They should also consider enhancements of available space and equipment.

Continuing education (CE) mandate laws are passed by states because it is in the public interest. The intent behind the passage of Illinois's CE law for physical therapists is to protect public health and safety through ensuring the competency of providers. However, studies into the impact of mandated CE on competency have been mixed. The problem addressed by this study was whether Illinois's CE law was effective in improving the competency of physical therapists and its impact on patient care. The purpose of this study was to understand what role mandated CE played in developing the competency of physical therapists in Illinois and whether mandated CE was the best method for the state to use to address provider competency. The main research question and sub questions focused on examining what role mandated CE played in improving the professional competency of physical therapists and its impact on patient care. Framework analysis was used to analyze the data that was then placed into themes that had been identified in the literature review. Findings from this study were examined using systems theory and human motivation theory. This study's findings indicate physical therapists believe mandated CE can improve competency and patient satisfaction. Participants indicated when patients get better faster they are more satisfied and when practitioners have advanced skills patient care is improved. The social implications of Illinois's CE law, while not perfect, is positive for both patients and providers, according to Illinois physical therapists. Overall, physical therapists believe that CE improves the competency of the provider, which in turn improves patient care.

Despite the education, autonomy, and high demand for physical therapists both nationally and in Florida, recent graduates have seen steadily rising education costs with disproportionate changes in income once they have graduated and entered the workforce. The growing debt burden of physical therapists entering the workforce, coupled with the growth in projected need and stagnant wages, raises concern about where and how entry-level physical therapists will practice and if these choices will be affected by their debt burden. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional survey study was to identify the debt profile of entry-level physical therapists and explore the relationship between the student debt and clinical practice choices of entry-level physical therapists. The results of this study provide important findings and additional questions to be considered with these growing concerns surrounding student debt in physical therapy. The results of this study suggest that practice setting choice may be affected by physical therapists’ student debt and that student debt may be a barrier overall to career choices in physical therapy. Additional research and support for innovative models that reduce debt burden in academic physical therapy should be considered.

The absence of clearly defined competencies to guide the development of educational programs for occupational therapy and physical therapy fieldwork instructors provided the impetus for this research. A primary objective of the study was to identify the competency categories and the competencies which occupational therapy and physical therapy fieldwork instructors, and occupational therapy and physical therapy students perceived to be important in determining the effectiveness of a student's fieldwork experience. A review of the literature in occupational therapy, physical therapy, and related health professions identified a pool of fieldwork instructor competencies from which 105 competencies were selected for the study questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to 34 occupational therapy and 37 physical therapy students from the University of British Columbia, and to 59 occupational therapy and 76 physical therapy fieldwork instructors in British Columbia. A response rate of 87% was obtained. Respondents' ratings of importance of the competency categories and of the most important competencies were similar to previous research findings. Communication and supervisory behaviours were rated as most important in contributing to the effectiveness of a student's fieldwork experience. The majority of the competencies which were ranked as most important belonged to these two categories. Consistent with previous research, the professional competence category and the competencies which were assigned to it were deemed least important in contributing to the effectiveness of a student's fieldwork experience. Group differences in ratings of importance were tested using a factorial design. The two-way and three-way analyses of variance, a multivariate analysis of variance and subsequent multiple comparison tests revealed only one significant main effect. Physical therapy students' ratings of importance differed significantly from the occupational therapy and physical therapy fieldwork instructors (p< .05). While this significant difference was identified from the analysis, examination of the mean ratings of the competencies showed a consistent pattern of low, moderate or high ratings among all of the groups. Participants in the study confirmed that the competencies included in the questionnaire were important in contributing to the effectiveness of a student's fieldwork experience. However, the literature suggests that the most important outcome will be the use of the competencies to guide the development of standardized educational programs for occupational therapy and physical therapy fieldwork instructors.
Education, Faculty of
Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of
Graduate

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) Physical Education curriculum, like final “exit” year studies nationally and internationally, has drawn attention from highly regarded academics regarding the challenges faced by teachers in integrating theory with physical activity as prescribed in curriculum documentation. This research aimed to extend on previous study focused on the achievement of integration through learning that occurs in, through, and about movement. A unique overlay was adopted by investigating any influence of gender discourse in this process. Given the non-mandatory nature of the selection of VCE Physical Education as a subject by students, and the articulation within the prescribed curriculum that theoretical understanding will be underpinned by practical based physical activity, it is reasonable to expect that students who select this study enjoy the opportunity to be active. Therefore, this research intended to contribute to current and previous discussion around the use of physical activity to develop and apply theoretical understanding. Additionally, this study set out to contribute new understanding to what, if any, influence gender discourse had on the types of physical activity selected by teachers and how these activities were implemented. This research adopted two separate but closely related theoretical frameworks: Arnold’s dimensions of movement (1979), which underpinned most previous research into the concept of integration, and Wilcox’s embodied ways of knowing (2009). Both frameworks provided guidance on the use of movement in the production of knowledge and its application to conceptual understanding. A qualitative research design involving a case study approach was used. Three independent secondary schools in the inner south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne were involved in two phases of the case study. Phase 1 was a document analysis that involved two VCE Physical Education teachers from each school submitting documentation that pertained to the enactment of the VCE Physical Education Study Design at their school, particularly regarding the use of physical activity in their classes. In Phase 2 the same teachers undertook a semi-structured interview, during which teachers had the opportunity to discuss the submitted documentation and provide perspectives on how they integrated physical activity with theoretical concepts within their pedagogy. Further insight was also sought on the role gender played, if any, during the selection and implementation of physical activity. The findings affirmed previous research that the concept of integration was viewed as important by teachers, however integration was complex to achieve due to various influences and no apparent singularly accepted process. The use of physical activity during the process of enacting the curriculum was also found to be influenced, either directly or indirectly, by gender discourses. A need for further professional learning, policy review, and research were identified as important implications from this study.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2000.
Title from title page screen, viewed May 2, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Edward R. Hines (chair), Patricia H. Klass, James C. Palmer, Mohamed Nur-Awaleh. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-145) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--School of Social, Policy and Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Education, University of Sydney, 2001.
Title from title screen (viewed 12th February, 2009) Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print form.

Physical therapists are licensed in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The State Board of Physical Therapy within each state regulates licensure and the majority of the states mandate continuing professional education (CPE) as a requirement for renewal. In Pennsylvania, the practice act was amended on July 4, 2008 requiring physical therapists to complete 30 hours of CPE during each biennial renewal period. This new act became effective December 22, 2012 with the first cycle beginning on January 1, 2013.

Many physical therapists express challenges in acquiring CPE indicating barriers such as stress with caseload size, travel to courses from rural locations, time restraints and commitments to family and work. Distance education (DE), defined as the application of communications and electronic devices that enable students to receive instruction from a distant location, may offer flexibility in CPE for physical therapists.

This study investigated the use and adoption of DE to meet continuing education requirements by physical therapists using an adapted survey. Email invitations with an anonymous link to the survey were sent to 2047 Pennsylvania physical therapists and a total of 361 completed online surveys were attained.

57% of the subjects reported incorporating some form of DE into their 30 required CPE hours over the last 24 months. On average, 12.25 of the 30 required CPE hours were completed through DE. The most frequent type of DE used by the subjects was Internet/World Wide Web, followed closely by print. When evaluating the innovation-decision process, subjects considered course content, quality and applicability of the information first, and time away from work or home last. The most commonly used provider of DE is a national professional organization. Those subjects that report using distance education confirm that their distance education experience was positive and believe that their CE experience will be positive in the future.

Using Rogers's method to determine rate of adoption, it appears that Pennsylvania physical therapists are already adopting DE. The results of this study indicate that, DE has good relative advantage, good compatibility, good observability and no evidence of complexity.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2007.
Title from title page screen, viewed on February 11, 2008. Dissertation Committee: Thomas P. Crumpler (chair), Todd A. McLoda, Cheri A. Toledo, Nancy I. Latham. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-88) and abstract. Also available in print.

A good professional-patient relationship is important to clinical practice, which may be compromised by deception. Deception research in physical therapy is scant. The current study investigated how the topic of patient deception is addressed in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) educational curriculum, explore DPT students’ beliefs about deception and attitudes toward patient deception, and examine the effects of a pedagogical intervention on DPT students’ beliefs about deception and attitudes toward patient deception. The first objective was pursued by a descriptive survey sent to 217 DPT programs in the US. The second and third objectives were achieved by one-group pretest-posttest design provided to 17 DPT students before and after an educational workshop. Most DPT programs minimally include the topic of patient deception within their curriculum. DPT students held several inaccurate beliefs about the indicators of deception and negative attitudes toward patients who lied. After the educational intervention, students’ inaccurate beliefs were corrected and negative attitudes were reduced. Patient deception seems to be an under-addressed topic in current physical therapy education. An education workshop improved students’ beliefs about deception and attitudes toward to patient deception. Implications of deception research and theory in the applied practice of physical therapy are discussed.

ABSTRACTLUNNEN, KAREN YUNDT. Students' Perceptions of What Employers Consider Desirable Abilities, Attributes and Qualifications for Physical Therapists in Today's Workforce. (Under the direction of Don C. Locke.)In today's workforce, characterized by change and increasing competition for jobs, it is important for educational programs, students and practicing physical therapists to be aware of the qualities that are valued by employers. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of physical therapy students about the abilities, attributes and qualifications that are desired by employers of physical therapists in today's workforce. Further, the study compared the perceptions of students with those of employers based on an earlier study of employers with a similar survey instrument.The population surveyed was students nearing completion of their second year of study in each of the seven physical therapy programs in North Carolina (NC) and South Carolina (SC). Students were asked to respond to the survey from the perspective of an employer of physical therapists in today's workforce, and to indicate the relative importance of items (grouped as abilities, attributes and qualifications) on a six-response Likert scale ranging from Not Important (1,2) to Important (3,4) to Essential (5,6). The student survey contained the same core questions as an earlier survey of physical therapy employers from clinical settings in NC and SC, allowing comparison of the two populations. Analysis of the students' responses resulted in rankings of abilities, attributes and qualifications. The three most valued abilities were: (1) manage time effectively, (2) problem-solve/think critically, and (3) abide by rules and regulations. The three most valued attributes were: (1) ethical behavior, (2) integrity, and (3) a positive attitude. The three most valued qualifications were: (1) broad-based knowledge and skills, (2) an advanced master's degree in physical therapy, and (3) membership in the American Physical Therapy Association. Employers had the same top three abilities as students, but flexibility was above a positive attitude in the ranking of attributes, and manual therapy certification was above an advanced master's degree in the ranking of qualifications. Additional analyses examined the correlation between students' perceptions about the relative importance of the various abilities, attributes and qualifications and the amount of prior clinical experience (in weeks) that they had.

BACKGROUND: Physical therapists (PTs) may care for full-term or premature newborns in all levels of hospital nurseries. There is some endorsement in the published physical therapy literature for restricting practice in the nursery setting to only those PTs with specialized training.1-4 PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of becoming and being a physical therapist in a special care nursery (SCN) or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) from the therapists’ perspective. METHODS: The participants were physical therapists who have practiced in a SCN or NICU in the United States. A phenomenological approach was used and data was collected through interviews. The constant comparative method was used to analyze the data and identify common themes to describe therapists’ beliefs about becoming and being a physical therapist in a hospital nursery. RESULTS: These four themes include: 1) Never Alone, which reflects the unique collaborative culture of the NICU; 2) Families First, which speaks to the need to focus on the family, avoid judgment, and facilitate their involvement in the care of their child; 3) Take a Deep Breath, which reflects the need to be mindful and cautious because of the potential to do harm due to the extreme fragility of the infant; and 4) Know What You Don’t Know, which reflects the depth and breadth of knowledge necessary to work in the NICU/SCN. CONCLUSIONS: This project was the first to systematically research practicing therapist’s beliefs and perspectives regarding PT practice in the SCN and NICU. It is evident that current practice does not align with the adopted statements from APTA and APPT, as well as other professional associations. Much evidence draws attention to the fragility of premature neonates, yet our PT practice and education does not appropriately address these concerns.

Geriatric board-certified specialists (GCSs) address health care needs of the growing geriatric population. The study's purposes were to: examine career paths of GCSs, identify influencing factors, and explore implications for higher education. Twelve of 14 original 1992 GCSs participated. Data included document collection and interviews. Using a qualitative methodology, commonalities were sought among individuals and HyperRESEARCH software was used for data management. The participants were adventurous, valued education, and were enthusiastic about physical therapy (PT), geriatrics, and specialization. Their career path began with choosing PT as a career, professional education, and their first job. One GCS moved directly into geriatrics. Others went to different settings before geriatrics. As participants recognized they "fit" in geriatrics, they pursued postprofessional education to increase knowledge before choosing board certification. In choosing PT, volunteer experience and personal research were common influences. In choosing to work with elders, influences throughout life gradually built a social context supporting the decision. GCSs chose specialist certification to assist in professionalization of geriatric PT, because they were highly skilled, for career advancement, and for self professionalization. Specialist certification had few financial consequences. Participants gained friends and professional networks. They experienced improved patient care, increased educational opportunities, and/or increased professional service. GCSs' vision was for a better society and health care system. This vision included successful aging - that it is possible and would benefit society. To bring about global change, GCSs perceived they had to influence older individuals, legislators, PT students, peers, and other professionals. Implications for higher education are as follows. Professional schools should not base admission on expressed intentions to work with elders. Curricula and clinical experiences should be such that a nonageist generalist is produced. Higher education's role postprofessionally can be through continuing education, formal degrees, and geriatric residency programs. Gerontology programs also could meet educational needs. Higher education can play an important role in the professionalization of individuals and ultimately the profession itself.

Children with disabilities are not the sole clients of the pediatric physical therapy practitioner. However, research, best practice, and federal mandated legislation oblige therapists to transition from a traditional medical child-centered model of intervention to a family-centered model. This model places an emphasis on instructing parents, guiding their development as the dominant change agent for their children. Viewing parents as the predominant learner during intervention sessions is hampered by the paucity of family-related and adult-learning content in the professional preparation programs in higher education. It is further inhibited by professional attitudinal beliefs that continue to place a higher value on child characteristics for clinical decision making. This qualitative study explored the scope of four private practice pediatric physical therapists' role as a parent coach. Each therapist was videotaped with two young children diagnosed with movement dysfunction and their mothers. Using a coaching framework presented by Hanft, Rush, and Shelden (2004), therapist/parent interactions were analyzed within the phases of initiation, observation/action, reflection, and evaluation. In addition, interpretation of these observations was also viewed through the theoretical lenses of adult learning and motor learning. The findings indicated that parent coaching was minimally employed by these four therapists. The lack of family-centered focus, minimal adult learning theory knowledge/application and nominal motor learning application to parental handling skill development further establishes a diminished attention to the potential for building parent competence. The research-to-practice gap confirmed a need in professional preparation and continuing education. Recommendations are made for a holistic model that includes application of both adult and motor learning in conjunction with a coaching model.

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: "Quality" has different meanings to different people. Even quality experts do not agree on a single definition: Juran's definition of quality revolves around his concept of "fitness for use", Crosby defines quality in terms of performance that produces "zero defects" and Deming defines quality as a "never ending cycle of continuous improvement". One element, however, that is common to all three approaches is that management must accept and demonstrate leadership if quality is to be achieved. Quality is rarely thought of as others perceive it. What is apparent is that if providers of care wish to maintain leadership in defining quality, they need to - Actively participate in the public debate about quality. Review the way in which they have been defining quality. Question whether their definitions are aligned with what the purchasers of health care define as being important. Develop meaningful measures of quality and data collection systems that will allow them to demonstrate quality and value. - Willingly share data not only on outcomes, and also measures that are specific to individual procedures and service providers. The PhysioFocus practice accreditation programme attempted to achieve the above factors. By realising the goal of the research this was determined. The goal of the research was to evaluate the PhysioFocus practice accreditation programme and to make recommendations on the educational programme for accreditation in private physiotherapy practices. This goal was realised by means of an exploratory and descriptive research design with a qualitative orientation. The evaluation of the PhysioFocus practice accreditation programme was performed by means of a validated evaluation instrument. The group interview revealed components of the PhysioFocus practice accreditation programme that require remediation. Recommendations included professional-ethical issues, business management and legislative issues. The recommendations will be implemented by the PhysioFocus practice accreditation committee. The PhysioFocus practice accreditation learning programme was evaluated by means of a semi-structured questionnaire, containing eleven questions and a section for comments. The general consensus was that the PhysioFocus practice accreditation programme is essential in private physiotherapy practice in South Africa. The implementation of the PhysioFocus practice accreditation programme resulted in the facilitation of quality physiotherapy; professional and personal development; monitoring of quality improvement processes; and the evaluation and remediation of these processes. This supported the central theoretical assumption of the research. Concerns were voiced about the lack of standards, lack of quality improvement skills, the public image of the physiotherapy profession and the lack of basic business management training. The researcher concluded that the implementation of the PhysioFocus practice accreditation programme is essential in private physiotherapy practice in South Africa. At present the current PhysioFocus practice accreditation programme does not address all the needs of private physiotherapy practices. Recommendations based on the research included remediation of the current PhysioFocus practice accreditation programme, formal education included business management, professional-ethical-Iegal issues, standards and scientific methods to analyse process variation and the development of improvement strategies in quality improvement. Other recommendations include informal education, physiotherapy management and structured quality improvement activities. The issue of the image of the professional physiotherapist was also addressed. Topics for future research were identified. The uniqueness of the research lies in the fact that this is the only physiotherapy practice accreditation programme implemented in South Africa. It is also the only physiotherapy practice accreditation programme in South Africa that has been evaluated.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: "Gehalte" het verskillende betekenisse vir verskillende mense. Selfs kenners op die gebied van gehalte stem nie saam met 'n enkele definisie nie. Juran se omvattende definisie is "gebruikswaarde", terwyl Crosby gehalte in terme van produksie, naamlik "zero defek", definieer. Deming definieer gehalte as "'n nimmereindigende siklus van voortdurende verbetering". Die een aspek wat al drie die kenners egter gemeen het, is dat bestuur leierskap moet aanvaar en demonstreer indien gehalte bereik wil word. Geen twee persone ervaar gehalte eenders nie. Indien diensverskaffers leiding wil behou ten opsigte van gehalte-definiëring, sal hulle verplig wees om: aktief deel te neem aan openbare debat oor gehalte; die aanvaarde definisie van gehalte te herevalueer; die aanvaarde definisie van gehalte op te weeg teenoor dié van die mediese hulpfonds-administrasie; gehalte- en data insamelingsisteme te ontwikkel om gehalte en waarde te bewys; en gewillig alle data te deel - nie net uitkomsdata nie, maar ook data wat spesifiek op individuele prosedures en diensverskaffers van toepassing is. Die PhysioFocus praktyk-akkreditasieprogram het gepoog om bogenoemde te bereik. Die navorsing het gerealiseer deurdat die doelstelling bereik is. Die doelstelling van die navorsing was om die PhysioFocus praktykakkreditasieprogram te evalueer en aanbevelings te maak vir 'n leerprogram vir die akkreditasieprogram. Die doelstelling het gerealiseer deur "n verkennende en beskrywende navorsingsontwerp vanuit 'n kwalitatiewe oriëntasie. Die evaluering van die PhysioFocus praktyk-akkreditasieprogram het deur middel van 'n gevalideerde evalueringsinstrument geskied. Die groepsonderhoud het areas van die PhysioFocus praktyk- akkreditasieprogram wat remediëring benodig, geïdentifiseer. Aanbevelings het professionele-etiese aspekte, besigheidsbestuur en wetlike aspekte ingesluit. Die aanbevelings sal deur die PhysioFocus praktykakkreditasiekommitee geïmplementeer word. Die evaluering van die PhysioFocus praktyk-akkreditasieleerprogram het deur middel van 'n semi-gestruktureerde vraelys met 11 oop vrae, tesame met 'n afdeling vir opmerkings, geskied. Die algemene aanname was dat die PhysioFocus praktyk-akkreditasieprogram noodsaaklik is in privaat fisioterapiepraktyk in Suid-Afrika. Die implementering van die PhysioFocus praktyk-akkreditasieprogram het gehalte fisioterapie, professionele en persoonlike ontwikkeling, die monitering van gehalteverbeteringsprosesse, asook evaluering en remediëring van hierdie prosesse, tot gevolg gehad. Dit het die sentraalteoretiese aanname van die navorsing ondersteun. Daar was egter kommer oor die gebrek aan standaarde, die beeld van die fisioterapieprofessie, asook die gebrek aan besigheidsbestuuropleiding. Die navorser het tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die implementering van die PhysioFocus praktyk-akkreditasieprogram noodsaaklik is in privaat fisioterapiepraktyk in Suid-Afrika. Die huidige PhysioFocus praktykakkreditasieprogram voldoen nie aan al die vereistes van privaat fisioterapiepraktyk in Suid Afrika nie. Aanbevelings vanuit die navorsing sluit die volgende in: remediëring van die huidige PhysioFocus praktyk-akkreditasieprogram; formele opleiding, insluitende profesionele-etiese-wetlike aspekte; standaarde; wetenskaplike metodes om die praktykprosesveranderinge te analiseer; en die ontwikkeling van 'n gestruktureerde gehalteverbeteringstrategie. Die beeld van die fisioterapieprofessie is ook aangespreek. Onderwerpe vir toekomstige navorsing is geïdentifiseer. Die navorsing is uniek omdat die PhysioFocus praktyk-akkreditasieprogram die enigste akkreditasieprogram vir fisioterapie in Suid Afrika is. Dit is ook die enigste fisioterapie-akkreditasieprogram wat in Suid Afrika geëvalueer is.

The purpose of this study was to analyze how senior instructors in physical therapist educational programs in northern California define and seek to impart to students information about professional behavior. Towards this end a qualitative investigation was conducted using case study methodologies. The researcher conducted interviews with 8 instructors teaching in 4 physical therapist educational programs in northern California. Each interview was analyzed as an individual case study, followed by a cross case analysis to identify common themes. From this analysis nine common themes emerged: (1) instructors found it difficult to broadly define professional behavior. (2) instructors expect students to be on time. (3) instructors expect students to speak and act with courtesy and respect. (4) instructors expect students to communicate appropriately. (5) instructors expect students to dress appropriately. (6) instructors expect students to participate in class. (7) instructors consciously model professional behavior as a way to communicate their expectations. (8) Instructors give instructions and provide students with feedback about professional behavior. (9) instructors do not attach a specific grade to professional behavior. Instructor perceptions that professional behavior was difficult to define was consistent with existing literature, as was their reluctance to grade professional behavior. Behavioral expectations that emerged as themes in this study fit within existing descriptions of professional behavior for physical therapists, specifically the core values adopted by the American Physical Therapy Association. This relationship suggests that the core values document may be used as a framework through which classroom professional behavior can be viewed. Instructor perceptions of strategies for conveying information about professional behavior to students were consistent with existing literature on modeling and explicit teaching. Based on the results of this study, a five-step process is proposed to facilitate appropriate professional behaviors by students in the classroom: (1) define program expectations for professional behavior. (2) move from theory to practice. (3) intentionally and consistently model desired behavior. (4) provide immediate feedback and incremental consequences. (5) consciously plan for faculty interaction.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Effective clinical reasoning and its communication are essential to health professional practice, especially in the current health care climate. Increasing litigation leading to legal requirements for comprehensive, relevant and appropriate information exchange between health professionals and patients (including their caregivers) and the drive for active consumer involvement are two key factors that underline the importance of clear communication and collaborative decision making. Health professionals are accountable for their decisions and service provision to various stakeholders, including patients, health sector managers, policy-makers and colleagues. An important aspect of this accountability is the ability to clearly articulate and justify management decisions. Considerable research across the health disciplines has investigated the nature of clinical reasoning and its relationship with knowledge and expertise. However, physiotherapy research literature to date has not specifically addressed the interaction between communication and clinical reasoning in practice, neither has it explored modes and patterns of learning that facilitate the acquisition of this complex skill. The purpose of this research was to contribute to the profession’s knowledge base a greater understanding of how experienced physiotherapists having learned to reason, then learn to communicate their clinical reasoning with patients and with novice physiotherapists. Informed by the interpretive paradigm, a hermeneutic phenomenological research study was conducted using multiple methods of data collection including observation, written reflective exercises and repeated semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using phenomenological and hermeneutic strategies involving in-depth, iterative reading and interpretation to identify themes in the data. Twelve physiotherapists with clinical and supervisory experience were recruited from the areas of cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal and neurological physiotherapy to participate in this study. Participants’ learning journeys were diverse, although certain factors and episodes of learning were common or similar. Participation with colleagues, peers and students, where the participants felt supported and guided in their learning, was a powerful way to learn to reason and to communicate reasoning. Experiential learning strategies, such as guidance, observation, discussion and feedback were found to be effective in enhancing learning of clinical reasoning and its communication. The cultural and environmental context created and supported by the practice community (which includes health professionals, patients and caregivers) was found to influence the participants’ learning of clinical reasoning and its communication. Participants reported various incidents that raised their awareness of their reasoning and communication abilities, such as teaching students on clinical placements, and informal discussions with peers about patients; these were linked with periods of steep learning of both abilities. Findings from this research present learning to reason and to communicate reasoning as journeys of professional socialisation that evolve through higher education and in the workplace. A key finding that supports this view is that clinical reasoning and its communication are embedded in the context of professional practice and therefore are best learned in this context of becoming, and developing as, a member of the profession. Communication of clinical reasoning was found to be both an inherent part of reasoning and an essential and complementary skill necessary for sound reasoning, that was embedded in the contextual demands of the task and situation. In this way clinical reasoning and its communication are intertwined and should be learned concurrently. The learning and teaching of clinical reasoning and its communication should be synergistic and integrated; contextual, meaningful and reflexive.

Thesis (MPhil (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.
Clinical education in health sciences is an important and distinct part of health care education. In clinical education situations, students learn to integrate the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values of the profession. The attainment of clinical competence is one of the main outcomes of the Clinical Physiotherapy module for physiotherapy students at Stellenbosch University (SU). In its Strategy for Teaching and Learning (2001:3), SU embraces a student-centered approach to teaching. In a student-centered approach towards teaching, the focus is on the quality and quantity of student learning. In the current changing context of higher education, all spheres of education need to be assessed to determine the meaning of student-centeredness and to establish whether it is achieved. The above-mentioned approach may lead to quality management in teaching and learning.

Currently one-quarter of Canadian children are meeting the minimal Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) daily. These alarming data suggest there is an urgent need to examine factors associated with children’s engagement in physical activity. Motor skill proficiency is associated with time spent in MVPA and predictive of participation in organized sport among adolescents. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between motor skills and physical activity of children in their first year of school. As gender-based differences in motor skill proficiency and physical activity are common, the influence of gender was also examined. Motor skills were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development – 2 and physical activity measured with accelerometers (Actigraph GT1M). Of the 106 (mean age = 6y3m) consented kindergarten children, 58% met the accelerometer wear-time inclusion criteria of 10 hours per day on at least 4 days. A MANCOVA revealed no significant gender based differences in motor skills or physical activity; therefore subsequent analyses included all children. Mastery of individual components of each skill as a percentage, were 54.1% of locomotor and 42.3% of object control skills. Using a cut-point of 4 metabolic equivalents, all of the children achieved 60-minutes of daily and weekday MVPA, and 82% of children achieved 60-minutes per day on the weekend. Both object control and locomotor skills were significantly related to the intensity of recorded activity. However, linear regression revealed that total motor skills predicted more variance in MVPA (9%) than either locomotor skills or object control skills independently. The findings of this study reveal that the kindergarten children engaged in MVPA at a rate equivalent to, or higher than, the minimum recommendations for Canadian children. However, motor skill proficiency was somewhat low. Children’s motor skill proficiency predicted a small, but significant, proportion of children’s physical activity.
Graduate

Australia’s education system is undergoing major reform with the staged introduction of the Australian Curriculum starting in 2010. One of the learning areas designated for development in the Australian Curriculum is Health and Physical Education (HPE). The aim of this study is to examine the understandings, attitudes and intentions of regional HPE teachers in relation to the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education (AC:HPE). A qualitative research method based on narrative inquiry has been used to gather data to provide a depiction of regional secondary school HPE teachers during the initial implementation phase of the AC:HPE. This study is significant in that it occurs at a unique time in Australia’s education system with the realisation of the nation’s first national curriculum. Furthermore, this study will contribute knowledge to an area of HPE research that has received little scholarly attention in the past, using a research methodology that is not usually associated with the discipline.

Health Canada has published national physical activity guidelines, which are included in their 27-page Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living. To date, the use of these guides as motivational instruments for physical activity promotion has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not reading the guide 1) increased motivational antecedents to engage in regular physical activity, and 2) increased regular physical activity intention and behaviour over a one month period. Participants included 130 randomly sampled Canadian adults (18 years or older) from Victoria. British Columbia, who were randomly mailed packages consisting of either 1) a questionnaire and a copy of Health Canada's guide, or 2) just a questionnaire. Questionnaire items pertained to participants' socio-demographics, physical activity behaviours (Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire), and physical activity motivation (Theory of Planned Behaviour). One month following the completion and return of the first questionnaire, participants were sent a one-month follow-up questionnaire pertaining to their physical activity behaviours throughout the previous month. A manipulation check of randomization between conditions suggested no differences in demographics, prior physical activity, or knowledge of the guide (p > .10). Results revealed significant interactions between the guide condition and physical activity status on instrumental behavioural beliefs (F 2.1 L2 = 6.65, p < .01, n2 = 0.05), and subjective norm (F 2,115 = 5.72 p < .05, 92 = 0.05), but no other factors were significantly different (p > .10). It was concluded that among physically inactive people, receiving Health Canada's guide may increase some informational/motivational constructs, but key motivational antecedents (affective attitude, perceived behavioural control) and outcomes (intention, behaviour) seem unaffected.

This study investigates the healing experience that current practicing art therapists’ have had with art prior to their training, and how that experience influenced their decision to peruse a career in art therapy. Narrative inquiry was the primary methodology in the current study. Six current practicing art therapists, all females who currently reside in the area of Victoria BC, participated in the process of co-constructing their 1st person narratives with the primary researcher. The six stages of Braun & Clarke's (2006) Thematic Analysis was used as the guiding framework developing themes across the stories told. Themes and the implications that came out of these narratives with respect to future research and counseling practice are also discussed.

There is growing consensus about the importance of physical activity and regular engagement is known to have a number of health and developmental benefits. Accordingly, research across a variety of fields has argued for the importance of laying the foundations for lifelong physical activity engagement in the early years. The school plays a central role in this effort by impacting children’s initial relationships with physical culture. Within the school, PE is often the primary vehicle for the promotion of physical activity. However, the problems with PE and its failure to connect with all children has been widely reported. Concurrently, there has been a significant physical activity dropout rate in adolescence for girls, and some boys. Scholarly attempts to address these concerns have focused mainly on late primary or high school settings, specifically curriculum and pedagogy. To date, very little research has focused on the early (Year One/Two) years of PE, when many children are developing their initial physical subjectivities. Rather than a period which all children enter as a ‘blank slate’, early PE is defined by the differing levels of experience that children bring to class. How these differing levels of embodied experiences are valued mean the children are constantly engaging in a range of stratified interactions. The outcomes of these interactions can have a profound impact on how students engage in physical activity, both in PE and on the playground. To examine how children are embodying and developing their physical subjectivities in these two spaces, a six- month ethnographic project was conducted at a primary school in Victoria. This allowed for the examination of the experiences of a Year 1/2 cohort through the implementation a variety of ethnographic and child-centred methods. Drawing on a theoretical approach, combining Bourdieu (1998) and Collins (2004), this thesis shows how the outcomes of PE activities, impacted the types of activities that children chose to engage in on the playground. Additionally, the findings show how the children play a key role in reproducing the dominant elements of the field (including the ‘naturalized’ gender order inherent in sport/PE) and the hierarchies that contextualized each activity. This research offers an in-depth focus into the complex social processes, in the playground and PE, which continue to usher children along seemingly pre-determined physical paths. This thesis concludes with a call for a critical approach to early PE that incorporates the different experiences of the children to create 2 curricula, with a particular focus on teaching children to be reflective of the impact of their embodied experiences. This also incorporates changes to the playground as a continuation of the PE space.

Multi-Sport Holiday Programmes (MSHPs) are one of the most popular and prevalent styles of holiday programme for Victorian children. To date, no research has explored MSHPs, and the research on holiday programmes within Australia remains vague. Analysis of MSHPs will contribute to the future direction of children’s organised sport, socialisation, and childcare research. This thesis explores the emergence of MSHPs and considers 1) what political and social factors support their emergence, and, 2) What knowledge and practices pervade MSHPs. This thesis begins by exploring the privatisation of the childcare market in Australia, and how the advancement of children’s sport and physical education policy contributed to the emergence of MSHPs. Although the amount of political commentary surrounding how and why children should engage in sport has progressed, the literature review alludes to a lack of research on holiday programmes in Australia. Considering that 25% of children aged 5-9 years engage in formal care during the holiday period, this poses a significant gap. To address this gap, an examination of MSHPs practices and procedures occurred. The findings show that MSHPs are sites of socialisation that reproduce narrow perspectives of health, gender, and the body. These findings are similar to past research conducted in playground environments, physical education, and junior sports programming. MSHPs do not exist in a silo, and future research should consider them as part of broader children’s sport and physical activity research which investigates discourses of meritocracy, masculine hegemony, and healthism. Thus, recommendations arising from this thesis are twofold: 1) Consider the effects of socialisation within MSHPs alongside research undertaken in schools, sports clubs, and the playground. 2) Analyse and provide recommendations on the juxtaposition of children’s sport/physical education policy and the distribution of federal and state funding for elite sport.