Evaluating allied health students’ readiness for placement learning
Abstract Background Experiential learning opportunities, such as work integrated learning placements, are often challenging for health professional students. It is therefore imperative that students are adequately prepared before engaging in placement learning. Operationalising ‘readiness for learni...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04005-w |
| _version_ | 1811175808598802432 |
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| author | Belinda Judd Jennie Brentnall Justin Newton Scanlan Kate Thomson Felicity Blackstock Allison Mandrusiak Lucy Chipchase Anna Phillips Sue McAllister |
| author_facet | Belinda Judd Jennie Brentnall Justin Newton Scanlan Kate Thomson Felicity Blackstock Allison Mandrusiak Lucy Chipchase Anna Phillips Sue McAllister |
| author_sort | Belinda Judd |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Experiential learning opportunities, such as work integrated learning placements, are often challenging for health professional students. It is therefore imperative that students are adequately prepared before engaging in placement learning. Operationalising ‘readiness for learning on placement’ as a construct, is necessary for providing quality student feedback and assessment. Methods An integrative mixed methods approach was adopted for this study, utilising a survey to canvass the perspectives of academics, students, and placement educators around the construct of readiness to inform potential assessment items. An assessment tool measuring student readiness for placement was then developed. Data from occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech pathology programs were evaluated using Rasch analysis to explore the unidimensionality of this construct. Results The online survey was completed by 64 participants, confirming the importance and measurability of foundational skills integral to readiness for placement learning. These foundational skills were then reflected in a pilot 20-item tool covering domains of professional and learner behaviour, communication, information gathering skills and reasoning. The Rasch analysis of 359 pre-registration student assessments confirmed unidimensionality, suggesting that the skills and attributes (operationalised as assessment items) that are considered part of ‘readiness for placement’ are components of this construct. Together, these findings provide support that the items on this tool are relevant and representative of the skills and behaviours that indicate readiness for placement learning. Two items regarding documentation and appropriate professional dress demonstrated some lower importance scores and interpretation variance warranting further investigation. Conclusion Through the exploration of the construct of readiness for placement learning, we have created and subsequently revised, an innovative assessment tool that measures novice students’ pre-placement capabilities. Further research is now needed to explore the psychometric properties of the tool. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T19:41:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-52ee2800b6314d969bac893da0bbf654 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T19:41:55Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-52ee2800b6314d969bac893da0bbf6542023-01-29T12:15:11ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202023-01-0123111210.1186/s12909-023-04005-wEvaluating allied health students’ readiness for placement learningBelinda Judd0Jennie Brentnall1Justin Newton Scanlan2Kate Thomson3Felicity Blackstock4Allison Mandrusiak5Lucy Chipchase6Anna Phillips7Sue McAllister8Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of SydneyFaculty of Medicine and Health, University of SydneyFaculty of Medicine and Health, University of SydneyFaculty of Medicine and Health, University of SydneySchool of Health Sciences, Western Sydney UniversitySchool of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of QueenslandCollege of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders UniversityUniSA Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South AustraliaFaculty of Medicine and Health, University of SydneyAbstract Background Experiential learning opportunities, such as work integrated learning placements, are often challenging for health professional students. It is therefore imperative that students are adequately prepared before engaging in placement learning. Operationalising ‘readiness for learning on placement’ as a construct, is necessary for providing quality student feedback and assessment. Methods An integrative mixed methods approach was adopted for this study, utilising a survey to canvass the perspectives of academics, students, and placement educators around the construct of readiness to inform potential assessment items. An assessment tool measuring student readiness for placement was then developed. Data from occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech pathology programs were evaluated using Rasch analysis to explore the unidimensionality of this construct. Results The online survey was completed by 64 participants, confirming the importance and measurability of foundational skills integral to readiness for placement learning. These foundational skills were then reflected in a pilot 20-item tool covering domains of professional and learner behaviour, communication, information gathering skills and reasoning. The Rasch analysis of 359 pre-registration student assessments confirmed unidimensionality, suggesting that the skills and attributes (operationalised as assessment items) that are considered part of ‘readiness for placement’ are components of this construct. Together, these findings provide support that the items on this tool are relevant and representative of the skills and behaviours that indicate readiness for placement learning. Two items regarding documentation and appropriate professional dress demonstrated some lower importance scores and interpretation variance warranting further investigation. Conclusion Through the exploration of the construct of readiness for placement learning, we have created and subsequently revised, an innovative assessment tool that measures novice students’ pre-placement capabilities. Further research is now needed to explore the psychometric properties of the tool.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04005-wAssessmentHealth professional studentsWork integrated learningReadinessAllied health |
| spellingShingle | Belinda Judd Jennie Brentnall Justin Newton Scanlan Kate Thomson Felicity Blackstock Allison Mandrusiak Lucy Chipchase Anna Phillips Sue McAllister Evaluating allied health students’ readiness for placement learning BMC Medical Education Assessment Health professional students Work integrated learning Readiness Allied health |
| title | Evaluating allied health students’ readiness for placement learning |
| title_full | Evaluating allied health students’ readiness for placement learning |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating allied health students’ readiness for placement learning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating allied health students’ readiness for placement learning |
| title_short | Evaluating allied health students’ readiness for placement learning |
| title_sort | evaluating allied health students readiness for placement learning |
| topic | Assessment Health professional students Work integrated learning Readiness Allied health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04005-w |
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