Overview

This collaboration aims to give students on the M.Sc. in Advancing Physiotherapy Practice at Coventry University the opportunity to talk about and discuss contemporary physiotherapy practice with students on a parallel programme at M.S.Ramaiah, Bangalore, India. It aims to give both sets of students an insight into physiotherapy practice internationally, to give students an opportunity to practise skills of presenting analytical findings to an audience, and to give students the opportunity to discuss on-line with international colleagues.

During the neurological physiotherapy module of the course, students of both institutions view videos made in Bangalore of 2 or 3 people with neurological impairments, shared over a secure network, after which students answer questions about assessment and performance set by the faculty in preparation for the discussion. There is a live video conference during which students are facilitated to interact with the focus on clinical reasoning and on similarities and differences in clinical practice. After the live conference there are opportunities for students to interact with each other asynchronously to further the discussion and share resources.

Aims of the project

• To develop students’ international perspectives on contemporary neurological physiotherapy practice
• To enhance students’ clinical reasoning skills in relation to contemporary neurological physiotherapy practice
• To help students develop intercultural competences

Activities

Observation of patient via video, physiotherapy assessment online, discussion via videoconference including justification of  clinical reasoning, discussion forum via moodle, sharing of reports via email.

Stage 1: Carry out physiotherapy assessment of patient with neurological disability (all students observe video).

Stage 2: Video-conference: discussion of patient assessment and treatment – tutors guide and facilitate discussion by students.

Stage 3: Students document conclusion to the discussion unilaterally and share written conclusions for further discussion.

Participants in 2015-16

Coventry University: Eleven students taking the Advancing Neurological Physiotherapy Practice module in the MSc Advancing Physiotherapy Practice.

Learning technologist: Valentina Mosconi.

 

M.S. Ramaiah Medical College & Hospitals: Eleven students taking the Neurological Physiotherapy module in the MSc Clinical Physiotherapy.

 

This project has been supported by the learning technologies team at Coventry University’s Centre for Excellence in Learning Enhancement (CELE)