Developing an Online Professional Development Module to Support Family-Centered Service in Pediatric Rehabilitation.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Rehabilitation
• Professional Development
• Knowledge Translation

Background:

• Family-centered service (FCS) is evidence-based but challenging for pediatric rehabilitation providers.
• A gap exists between theoretical FCS knowledge and practical clinical application.
• Online professional development is a potential solution to support FCS implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an online professional development module for pediatric rehabilitation service providers.
• To support the implementation of family-centered services (FCS) in clinical settings.
• To address practical challenges faced by providers in applying FCS.

Main Methods:

• Module development followed best practices in online knowledge translation, the Knowledge-to-Action model, and ADDIE instructional design.
• Focus groups with 14 service providers identified training needs and preferences for family engagement strategies.
• A user-centered, iterative approach informed content, structure, and usability refinements through pilot testing.

Main Results:

• An online module with five chapters was created, integrating evidence-based strategies, videos, case examples, and activities.
• A hybrid navigation system was implemented for structured and flexible learning.
• Pilot testing with eight service providers led to usability and navigation enhancements.

Conclusions:

• An iterative, user-centered approach successfully created an online resource to bridge the FCS theory-practice gap.
• The module provides a practical, accessible tool for pediatric rehabilitation providers to adopt family-centered approaches.
• Future research should evaluate the module's impact on provider behavior and outcomes for children and families.