Elements of instruction in allied health: Do faculty and students value the same things?

Journal of Allied Health, Fall 2003 by Hoppes, Steve, Chesbro, Steven

The purposes of this study were to determine the importance placed on 15 elements of instruction in allied health by students and faculty and to identify similarities and differences in students' and faculty's views. A total of 145 students and 55 faculty in the College of Allied Health at the University of Oklahoma participated in an on-line survey. Focus groups subsequently were conducted to discuss areas of agreement and disagreement between students and faculty. Four common elements were contained in the top-five list of both groups: ( 1 ) the teacher's ability to relate course material to clinical situations, (2) the teacher's communication skills, (3) the teacher's preparation and organization, and (4) the teacher's knowledge of the subject. Five of the 15 items were significantly different: (1) the teachers' friendliness and respect for students, (2) the teacher's ability to motivate students, (3) the teacher's ability to challenge students intellectually, (4) the teacher's encouragement of discussion, and (5) the teacher's ability to use a number of teaching techniques. Results of this study will further understanding between allied health faculty and students concerning similarities and differences in instructional values. J Allied Health. 2003; 32:1 67-172.

FOR YEARS, EDUCATORS have sought to determine instructional elements considered valuable by students.1"7 Becoming aware of important elements of teaching effectiveness can help allied health educators strengthen instruction and, as a result, improve academic outcomes and increase students' satisfaction. secondary gains of improved clinical performance and performance on competency examinations could be realized as well.

Educators often enter the classroom with certain assumptions about the classroom and effective instruction.8 According to Brookfield,9 our assumptions confirm and shape our perceptions, and it is difficult to identify assumptions. he encouraged teachers to reflect critically by first looking at students' perspectives. A comparison of the expectations and priorities of students and teachers can allow faculty to reflect critically on any presuppositions held about elements of teaching effectiveness.2,3,5,10

Most allied health educators were clinicians before entering higher education. The transition from clinic to classroom is a difficult challenge for many and often does not allow for adequate preparation and understanding of pedagogical and andragogical teaching principles and practices. It is imperative that faculty members in allied health education become aware of their biases toward components of teaching effectiveness compared with those of their students.

Feldman1 examined 31 studies that collectively involved more than 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students and more than 4,500 teachers at more than 60 postsecondary schools. These studies identified teachers' attitudes, behaviors, and pedagogical practices that were judged to be important to "good teaching" or "effective instruction," then examined how students and faculty in various disciplines placed comparative values on the elements. FeIdman's meta-analysis found relatively high agreement between students and faculty concerning these important elements of good teaching (r = 0.71). Through this analysis, Feldman1 identified 22 instructional elements commonly considered important by students and faculty.

The analysis by Feldman1 has limited value to educators in allied health because it was not specific to allied health education and because the various instructional elements identified have never been presented as a body to students or faculty in allied health for confirmation or ranking. Feldman1 advocated further study to "discover how these similarities and differences are affected by type of school, type of academic division and field within schools, and type of student and teacher."

The purposes of this study were (1) to assess the perceived value of various elements of teaching effectiveness by allied health students and faculty through the use of a survey and focus groups and (2) to identify similarities and differences in students' and faculty's views. Asking those involved their opinion is the only way to determine how those components rank in terms of value and priority.11

Methods

PARTICIPANTS

The sample in this study included professional and graduate students (n = 145) and faculty (n = 55) in the College of Allied Health at the University of Oklahoma. The College of Allied Health consists of departments of allied health education, communication sciences, medical library sciences, nutrition sciences, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and radiologie technology.

INSTRUMENT

An internet-based survey was created that asked participants to rank the five most important items in teaching effectiveness from a list of 15 (Figure 1). The survey was developed using items identified as important elements in teaching effectiveness in a meta-analysis by Feldman.1 These 22 items were assessed, and some were combined owing to similar elements, whereas others were discarded owing to consistently low rankings by faculty and students. Fourteen items were generated from the Feldman analysis. One other item was developed to reflect the clinical component of allied health education. Five faculty members in allied health programs reviewed the survey for content and clarity before the survey being completed.