Self-regulated learning processes across different physiotherapy clinical procedural skills and time intervals: A SRL microanalysis study

Abstract

Purpose of the study

The performance of a clinical procedural skill by an individual student is associated with their use of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) processes. However, previous research has not identified if an individual student has a similarity in their use of SRL processes across different clinical procedural skill tasks and at a time interval. The aim of this pilot study was to explore the similarity in the use of SRL processes by individual students across different clinical procedural skill tasks and at a time interval.

Methods

SRL-microanalysis was used to collect within-subject data on undergraduate physiotherapy students’ use of the two key SRL processes (planning and monitoring) during their performance of different goniometry clinical procedural skills tasks and also at a fourth month interval.

Results

An individual student’s use of key SRL processes across different clinical procedural skill tasks and at a time interval was similar. Also, this similarity was identified for students with initial successful and unsuccessful performances.

Conclusion

Our findings have implications for the future wider practical implementation of SRL microanalysis to inform personalised SRL feedback for developing the clinical procedural skills of individual students. Further research with a greater number of students and across a wider range of clinical procedural skills will be required to confirm our findings, and also its effectiveness on feedback and future performance.

Keywords:

• Self-regulated learning
• clinical skill
• health professions education
• microanalysis

Authors’ contributions

Concept/idea/: DC-F, RM, MJC. Research design: MJC, RM, JS, DC-F. Data collection: RM. Data analysis: DC-F, RM, JS, MJC. Project management: RM, MJC. Providing facilities/equipment: RM. Writing: DCF, RM, JS, MJC. All authors have read and approved the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Dario Cecilio-Fernandes

Dario Cecilio-Fernandes, Psy, M.Sc, PhD, is a researcher in the Department of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas and has research interest on assessment and skill acquisition. He has also working with faculty development in the University of Campinas.

Raquel Medina-Ramírez

Raquel Medina-Ramírez, PhD, is a researcher in the Laboratory of Electrophysiology and Physical Therapy in University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and she has research interests in assessment and self-regulated learning in Physical Therapy students.

John Sandars

John Sandars, MB, MSc, MD, MRCP, MRCGP, FAcad, MEd, is Professor of Medical Education in the Health Research Institute at Edge Hill University and has a research and development interest in the use of self-regulated learning theory for performance improvement of individuals.

Manuel João Costa

Manuel João Costa, BSc, PhD, is Pro-rector of Student Affairs and Pedagogical Innovation, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.