Ge W1
1Youngstown State University, Physical Therapy, Youngstown, United States
Background: Blended learning model, or hybrid model, is a curriculum model in a formal education program in which a student learns at least in part through online delivery of content and instruction while attending a traditional academic institution. We previously proposed a blended learning model for a neuroscience course in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program as a solution to the nationwide shortage of qualified instructors in physical therapy programs. Blended learning model often faces challenges in student engagement.
Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) Talks have been used in the medical school curriculum. Sharing “ideas worth spreading,” TED Talks are freely accessible online and can be embedded in the Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) seamlessly. TED Talks engage the audience and can often reach well over a million online views. Topics range from science to business to global issues and include a significant number of talks that are related to the content areas of the Neuroscience course. Examples include talks on chronic pain, plasticity, memory, stroke, etc. It was hypothesized that it might be beneficial to integrate TED Talks in the blended learning model for Neuroscience course to improve student engagement.
Purpose: To develop, implement, and assess the impact on the engagement of integrating TED Talks in a blended learning model for a neuroscience course in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Methods: One TED Talk was embedded in each week's content area on Blackboard LMS. One bonus question based on the TED Talks was included on each exam. A survey with 5 Likert scale questions was conducted at the end of the course to assess integrating TED talks throughout the course. Exam scores pre and post the implementation of the model were compared to determine the effectiveness.
Results: 74.2% of students strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, “Before taking this Neuroscience course, I was familiar with the Ted Talks.” 71.0% and 71.0% strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, “The TED Talk videos broadened my knowledge base beyond this Neuroscience course” and the statement, “Overall, I like the idea of integrating TED Talk videos in this hybrid course”, respectively. However, only 38.7% and 41.9 % strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, “Integrating TED Talks into this hybrid course helped me engage in the class activities” and the statement, “The TED Talk videos helped me understand the content within this Neuroscience course”, respectively. Students performed slightly better [92.0 (SD 6.9)] compared to the year before [90.9 (SD 5.0)], however, there was no significant difference (p=0.45).
Conclusion(s): Most students were familiar with TED Talks prior to taking the course and agreed that integrating TED Talks in the course broadened their knowledge base. They liked the idea of integrating TED talks in the course. However, less than half of the students appreciated the engagement that TED talks brought to the blended model and they did not believe that TED talks helped their learning. Exam score did not show statistically significant improvements.
Implications: The data informs other blended learning models in physical therapy education on student engagements.
Keywords: Education, Blended Model, Neuroscience
Funding acknowledgements: None.
Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) Talks have been used in the medical school curriculum. Sharing “ideas worth spreading,” TED Talks are freely accessible online and can be embedded in the Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) seamlessly. TED Talks engage the audience and can often reach well over a million online views. Topics range from science to business to global issues and include a significant number of talks that are related to the content areas of the Neuroscience course. Examples include talks on chronic pain, plasticity, memory, stroke, etc. It was hypothesized that it might be beneficial to integrate TED Talks in the blended learning model for Neuroscience course to improve student engagement.
Purpose: To develop, implement, and assess the impact on the engagement of integrating TED Talks in a blended learning model for a neuroscience course in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Methods: One TED Talk was embedded in each week's content area on Blackboard LMS. One bonus question based on the TED Talks was included on each exam. A survey with 5 Likert scale questions was conducted at the end of the course to assess integrating TED talks throughout the course. Exam scores pre and post the implementation of the model were compared to determine the effectiveness.
Results: 74.2% of students strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, “Before taking this Neuroscience course, I was familiar with the Ted Talks.” 71.0% and 71.0% strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, “The TED Talk videos broadened my knowledge base beyond this Neuroscience course” and the statement, “Overall, I like the idea of integrating TED Talk videos in this hybrid course”, respectively. However, only 38.7% and 41.9 % strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, “Integrating TED Talks into this hybrid course helped me engage in the class activities” and the statement, “The TED Talk videos helped me understand the content within this Neuroscience course”, respectively. Students performed slightly better [92.0 (SD 6.9)] compared to the year before [90.9 (SD 5.0)], however, there was no significant difference (p=0.45).
Conclusion(s): Most students were familiar with TED Talks prior to taking the course and agreed that integrating TED Talks in the course broadened their knowledge base. They liked the idea of integrating TED talks in the course. However, less than half of the students appreciated the engagement that TED talks brought to the blended model and they did not believe that TED talks helped their learning. Exam score did not show statistically significant improvements.
Implications: The data informs other blended learning models in physical therapy education on student engagements.
Keywords: Education, Blended Model, Neuroscience
Funding acknowledgements: None.
Topic: Education; Education: methods of teaching & learning
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Youngstown State University
Ethics committee: Institutional Review Board
Ethics number: 192-18
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
