Title:
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Theory-practice integration in radiography education : the role of teaching strategies
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Effective transition from classroom to clinical learning is an essential competency for student radiographers in an epoch of rapid technological advancements. Student radiographers' transition from classroom to clinical learning, however, depends on several factors of which curriculum design and delivery are paramount. This study aimed at evaluating how the design of radiography curriculum and teaching strategies in the unique context of the School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences (SBAHS) are helping student radiographers' transition from classroom to clinical learning. A sequential mixed-method research design was adopted. Data collection involved a documentary analysis of radiography curricula, interviews of academic instructors, observations of clinical supervisors and an online survey completed by final year student radiographers. The study results revealed that there was a good structuring of academic course content, but the separation between theoretical and clinical elements within the curriculum was creating an artificial dichotomy which did not support students' transition from classroom learning to clinical learning. Also, the dominance of a didactic teacher-centered approach (characterized mainly by lecture notes - PowerPoint presentations) and limited clinical situations did not support the effective integration of classroom learning with clinical learning. In conclusion, the integration problem was not identified as an issue pertaining to only content and delivery but also as an infrastructural level issue, for which recommendations proposed to educational developers include radiography curriculum restructuring, the formal teacher training of instructors, the establishment of dual role lecturer/clinical radiographers and collaborative partnerships between SBAHS and health facilities supporting students with their clinical education. Recommendations are also made for potential areas for further studies on the integration of classroom and clinical leaning in radiography education.
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