Self directed learning characteristics of Physiotherapy students

Physiotherapy programs are known to attract some of the top tertiary entrant students. At Curtin University the 1998 Tertiary Entrance Ranking cut off was 96.1 which indicates that the students were in the top 5% of all school leavers. To achieve such high scores these students have demonstrated both intellectual aptitude and an ability to succeed in the academic arena. Consequently, it has long been assumed that they already have reasonably well developed learning skills and strategies. However, it is not known whether these skills and strategies match what is required for learning in and beyond the physiotherapy program. The aim of the current project was to develop a profile of first year physiotherapy learners using standardised measurement tools that focus on self directed learning skills. This paper will focus on the results obtained from the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI).

The LASSI is an assessment tool designed to measure students' thoughts and behaviours related to their use of learning and study strategies and methods. It consists of 77 statements to which the student responds using a 5 point descriptive scale. Ten subscales are calculated and reflect students' anxiety, motivation, attitude, concentration, time management, their use of strategies for information processing, selecting main ideas, and test taking as well as their use of study aids and self testing.

The LASSI was administered to 84 students at the end of semester I 1999. Fifty-nine students completed a second administration of the questionnaire at the end of semester II. Fourteen of these students participated in a series of fortnightly tutorials as part of a project designed to develop materials to assist students to develop skills in goal setting and time management.

The percentile scores were evaluated (calculated using data from American colleges) and subscales where greater than 25% of the students were ranked above the 75th percentile were highlighted. The results indicate that this cohort of first year physiotherapy students are ranked above their peers in their attitude toward study, and their ability to concentrate their efforts during learning activities. They make use of elaboration and organisation strategies to process information and are able to select the main ideas from course content and use study aids that support and increase their learning and retention. They also demonstrated a raised awareness of the importance of self testing. When comparing the tutorial group to the rest of the class they demonstrated significantly higher scores for concentration (F(1,51) = 11.6, p=0.001), motivation (F(1,51) = 4.2, p=0.045), and self testing (F(1,51) = 4.5, p=0.039). There was also a significant difference (F(1,51) = 9.8, p=0.003) between the groups on the time management subscale and both groups demonstrated a significant (F(1,51) = 5.8, p=0.02) though small change in scores between semester I and II. Both groups also improved their scores on the test taking strategies subscale (F(1,51) = 5.6, p=0.021).

These results indicate some of the areas where physiotherapy students already possess strategies and skills appropriate for self directed learning but also highlight areas where student learning could be supported within the curriculum.