Abstract - Phd Proposal (m Rowe)

An analysis of the undergraduate physiotherapy curriculum to identify a teaching module for development, implementation and evaluation of a blended learning approach, using emerging technologies Abstract Today's students in higher education are different in how they think, communicate and learn, and there are calls for a change in pedagogy that takes this into account. The use of emerging technologies has been identified as a potential facilitator of this change, particularly in a blended approach to teaching and learning. Blended learning strategies build on social constructivist principles of education, and thus provide a more engaged experience for both educators and students. This study aims to analyse the undergraduate physiotherapy curriculum in order to determine which modules are appropriate for blended learning, and which could take advantage of emerging technologies to improve practice. The study will take place within the physiotherapy department at the University of the Western Cape and all staff and registered undergraduate students will be invited to participate in the process. The overarching design of the study will be to use action research methods to create organisational change in the form of curriculum development, as well as to simultaneously study the process and results of that change. Within this design, a number of other methodologies will be used at each stage of the process, including a systematic literature review, two descriptive surveys, three workshops, document analysis of the curriculum, a Delphi study to identify appropriate modules and pedagogical strategies, and process evaluation. Permission to conduct the study will be sought from the faculty Higher Degrees Committee, the Senate Higher Degrees Committee, the Registrar of the university and the head of the physiotherapy department. The study will be conducted according to ethical practices pertaining to the study of human subjects as specified by the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences Research Ethics committee.

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