Blending Online and In-Person Seminars to Strengthen Clinical Placement Learning in Physiotherapy Education

Digital technology continues to reshape health professions education, yet little is known about the relative effectiveness of synchronous online versus in-person collaborative learning in strengthening clinical placement experiences for physiotherapy students. This study examined physiotherapy students' expectations, perceptions, and preferences regarding online and in-person small-group seminars.

A quasi-randomized crossover design was used in two course iterations (I-1, I-2) involving 106 final-semester physiotherapy students. Participants were split into groups of 5-6 to engage in ten seminars discussing complex clinical cases drawn from their prior placements, with half of the groups starting online and later switching to in-person, and vice versa. A third iteration (I-3; n=77) alternated between online and in-person sessions following two initial in-person seminars. Data were gathered through anonymous electronic surveys containing Likert-scale ratings and open-text responses. Quantitative data were analyzed with t-tests and chi-square tests; qualitative comments underwent thematic analysis.

Mid-course evaluations revealed no significant differences in perceived effectiveness when students had experienced only one format. By the course's end, however most students ultimately favored in-person seminars for richer social interaction (I-2: 80%; I-1: 38%; I-3: 54%), although they consistently recognized online sessions as time-efficient and flexible. Notably, students' initial expectations (I-1 and I-2) strongly mirrored their final evaluations. Qualitative feedback highlighted that in-person seminars provided higher-quality social interactions, while online seminars offered greater efficiency and flexibility. Most students indicated a preference for a blended format in future courses.

By blending in-person and online sessions, collaborative seminars can give physiotherapy students the best of both worlds for their clinical placement learning. Meeting in-person fosters richer discussions and deeper social connections, while online sessions offer efficiency, flexibility and help students develop essential digital competence. Together, these formats create a more adaptable, forward-looking learning environment that aligns with the evolving demands of professional practice.