Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34246264›Full record

ArticleBMC medical education2021

Readiness towards online learning among physiotherapy undergraduates.

Harikrishnan Ranganathan, Devinder Kaur Ajit Singh, Saravana Kumar, Shobha Sharma, Siew Kuan Chua, Nabilah Binti Ahmad, Kamalambal Harikrishnan

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical education, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
13.7field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 33 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Harikrishnan RanganathanPhysiotherapy Programme, Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Devinder Kaur Ajit SinghPhysiotherapy Programme, Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. devinder@ukm.edu.my.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6551-0437
Saravana KumarAllied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
Shobha SharmaSpeech Science Programme, Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Siew Kuan ChuaCentre of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
Nabilah Binti AhmadPhysiotherapy Programme, School of Health Sciences, KPJ Healthcare University College, Nilai, Malaysia.
Kamalambal HarikrishnanIndependent Researcher, Cyberjaya, Malaysia.
University of Cyberjaya · MYNational University of Malaysia · MYNilai University · MYUniversiti Teknologi MARA · MYUniversity Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre · MYUniversity of South Australia · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOnline learning is an attractive option for educators, especially as means of overcoming the challenges posed by the global pandemic. Although it is best to evaluate student readiness prior to commencement of an online course, to ensure successful development and delivery of student-centric teaching and learning strategies, readiness towards online learning among physiotherapy undergraduates is unknown. The main aim of this study was to examine physiotherapy undergraduates' readiness towards online learning.

methodsIn this cross-sectional study, participants were selected through a combination of total population and convenience sampling. The Student Online Learning Readiness questionnaire was distributed among physiotherapy undergraduates from two public and two private universities in Malaysia to investigate their technical, social and communication competencies. Information about device characteristics were obtained to evaluate their equipment readiness. Descriptive and group comparisons were conducted using independent t-test, and analysis of variance with p < 0.05 as level of significance.

resultsA total of 352 physiotherapy undergraduates participated. The response rate was 81.6%. The results showed that physiotherapy undergraduates in these four institutions had moderate levels of readiness towards technical competencies (M = 3.7 ± 0.5), social competencies with instructor (M = 3.7 ± 0.6), social competencies with classmates (M = 3.8 ± 0.6) and communication competencies (M = 3.6 ± 0.5) related to online learning. The overall readiness for these four competencies was moderate (M = 3.7 ± 0.4), however the physiotherapy undergraduates had high (> 80% possessed smartphones and laptop) level of equipment readiness. Institution and gender had no significant effect on the level of readiness (p > 0.05). Year 1 and 2 had significantly higher levels of social competencies with instructor compared to final year physiotherapy undergraduates (p < 0.05).

conclusionPhysiotherapy undergraduates in these four institutions had moderate to high levels of readiness towards online learning. Technical, social and communication competencies could be further enhanced with appropriate strategies. SIGNIFICANCE: This study provides an insight into the level of readiness towards online learning among physiotherapy undergraduates. The findings of our study shed light on issues to consider when designing online courses. A pre-course training for undergraduates prior to the commencement of online courses may be useful.

trial registrationNot Applicable.

Indexed as

Education, DistanceCross-Sectional StudiesHumansMalaysiaPhysical Therapy ModalitiesStudentsOnline learningPhysiotherapy undergraduatesReadiness

Identifiers

PMID34246264
PMCPMC8271316
OpenAlexW3178982904

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.