"Flipping" Texas State University's Physical Therapist Musculoskeletal Curriculum: Implementation of a Hybrid Learning Model

Background and Purpose. Although our vision of physical therapist practice has changed considerably for future generations, methods of teaching have not reflected a similar transformation. Additionally, students of today have an inherent comfort level with technology. The "flipped" classroom is an approach designed to meet the distinctive set of expectations and requirements faced by physical therapist educators. The purpose of this paper is to describe the methods and outcomes of a blended learning approach-using the "flipped" classroom model-when delivering musculoskeletal content to first-year physical therapist students.Method/Model Description and Evaluation. In this "flipped" classroom model, students view lectures prior to class, leaving class time for instructors to engage students with critical content clarification and valuable clinical reasoning as well as active learning activities (eg, psychomotor skills lab).Outcomes. Student response to a web-based survey indicated overall satisfaction with the usefulness and effectiveness of the recorded lecture format and the instructors. Faculty response was positive and overall class outcomes were improved from traditional delivery.Discussion and Conclusion. The model presented in this paper describes the implementation and evolution of a "flipped" classroom to teach musculoskeletal content to first-year physical therapist students. Student response indicated that the model was useful and effective, while qualitative feedback suggested means for improvement.Key Words: "Flipped" classroom, Instructional technology, Musculoskeletal curriculum.BACKGROUND AND PURPOSEPhysical therapist educators are challenged to make the best use of classroom time as they transition novice, first-year students into competent clinicians who are prepared to face challenges associated with a busy and sophisticated health care environment. These challenges are not unique to physical therapist education and exist in medicine and other health-related fields that seek to maximize value within the unyielding constraint of time.1 Physical therapy is an applied profession in which students are expected not only to master the acquisition of theory and knowledge, but they are required to demonstrate proficiency with skills, techniques, and, most importantly-clinical reasoning. By graduation, students need to have demonstrated an entry-level comprehension of didactic content, confidence with evaluative and manual skills, fluency in communication, and assuredness in clinical reasoning. Physical therapist educators are charged with preparing students to enter the profession in accordance with the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Vision 2020,2 in which physical therapy will be provided by physical therapists who are doctors of physical therapy, recognized by consumers and other health care professionals as the practitioners of choice to whom consumers have direct access for the diagnosis of, interventions for, and prevention of impairments, activity limitations, participation restrictions, and environmental barriers related to movement, function, and health.2Physical therapist educators also are challenged to educate students in the face of limited resources and an ever-increasing demand to produce high-quality education to support a predicted increased demand for skilled health providers. Technologyenhanced instruction has been suggested by colleges and universities as a method to extend limited resources, enhance educational quality, and engage students in manners that may be more in line with their values and life circumstances.3'4To reconcile the challenge faced by physical therapist educators to convey knowledge, skills, and clinical decision-making abilities with respect to the manner in which students of today best learn is a difficult if not daunting task One approach that is gaining popularity in many disciplines across the country is the "flipped" classroom. …