Developing a contextualised blended learning framework to enhance medical physics student learning and engagement

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics Education
• Radiotherapy Physics Training

Background:

• Medical physicists require broad competencies accredited by the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM).
• Diverse student backgrounds in specialist courses often lead to disengagement with learning activities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-design a Radiotherapy Physics unit to enhance student engagement.
• To investigate the impact of active learning strategies on student engagement in a Masters level Medical Physics course.

Main Methods:

• Re-designed a Radiotherapy Physics unit incorporating scaffolded in-class and online tasks.
• Integrated virtual reality simulations into the learning activities.
• Collected student perceptions via a two-year survey on engagement with redesigned learning activities.

Main Results:

• Analysis indicated an overall improvement in student engagement with learning activities and content.
• Nuanced understanding of how students engaged with online, in-class, practical, and industry attachment components was gained.

Conclusions:

• Active learning strategies, including virtual reality, can effectively improve student engagement in specialized, content-heavy scientific disciplines.
• Informed learning activity design is crucial for enhancing student engagement in medical physics education.