Readiness towards online learning among physiotherapy undergraduates

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Online Learning Technologies
• Physiotherapy Curriculum

Background:

• The global pandemic accelerated the adoption of online learning in higher education.
• Assessing student readiness is crucial for effective online course delivery.
• Readiness for online learning among physiotherapy undergraduates remains largely unexamined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the readiness of physiotherapy undergraduates for online learning.
• To identify specific competencies (technical, social, communication) influencing online learning readiness.
• To assess equipment readiness among physiotherapy undergraduates.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving physiotherapy undergraduates from Malaysian universities.
• Utilized the Student Online Learning Readiness questionnaire.
• Assessed technical, social, communication, and equipment readiness.

Main Results:

• 352 undergraduates participated, with an 81.6% response rate.
• Moderate readiness was observed in technical, social, and communication competencies (mean scores around 3.7/5).
• High equipment readiness was noted, with over 80% owning smartphones and laptops. First and second-year students showed higher social competency with instructors than final-year students.

Conclusions:

• Physiotherapy undergraduates exhibit moderate to high overall readiness for online learning.
• Targeted strategies can enhance technical, social, and communication competencies.
• Pre-course training may be beneficial for optimizing online course design and student outcomes.