A member of The Texas State University System.

“Flipped” Classroom:The flipped classroom employs a blended learning strategy that takes activities that traditionally occur inside the classroom and places them outside the classroom, while those activities that normally take place outside of class are given primary focus for time spent in class.1, 2

Background:Although our vision of physical therapist practice has changed considerably for future generations, methods of teaching have not reflected a similar transformation.

The purpose of this paper is to describe an instructional approach using blended learning in a flipped classroom, model to deliver musculoskeletal content to first year, entry-level first physical therapist students.

Discussion: On-line lectures replaced the traditional, monologue lecture and allowed students to assimilate content that then provided a basis for more in-depth learning and understanding in the classroom. The three main advantages experienced with having all lectures recorded and viewed by students prior to class were the ability to:

1. Spend more time in dialogue and interaction with students to clarify content;

2. Teach material at a more in-depth level;

3. Spend more time teaching psychomotor skills while concomitantly engaging in clinical reasoning and decision making.

Conclusions:Implementation of the flipped classroom approach for instruction in the musculoskeletal curriculum of entry-level physical therapist students was effective in leveraging learning strategies and time in order to teach content in greater depth as well as breadth and in facilitating higher-level clinical reasoning.

Student comments trended around four main themes:• Length of Lectures: many reported that

lectures over 30 minutes reduced their satisfaction

• Organization of Content: Several students felt that the logistics of was subpar and could be improved

• Effectiveness of the Instructors: Students reported reduced satisfaction for speakers with “monotone voices” or when it felt like they were having “slides read to me.”

• Technology Limitations: Students were given handouts for each lecture in PDF format. This effectively forced the students to devise new ways of taking notes on lectures as they had been using PowerPoint files. While this seemed to be a small problem to the faculty, it seemed to cause the students significant stress.

“Flipping” Texas State University’s Entry-level Physical Therapist Musculoskeletal Curriculum and Implementation of

a Hybrid Learning Model

Methods:Key comments are provided with regard to its development from the spring semester 2009 to the spring semester of 2012 (inclusive of four different cohorts of students). The implementation of the integrated model in the classroom is also described.

Brenda Boucher, Eric Robertson, Rob Wainner, Barbara Sanders

Additionally, a web-based survey developed using Google Forms was administered to students following the 2012 iteration of the Spine content, which was the first in the musculoskeletal series. The survey consisted of ten questions and an option for voluntary comments. The response rate was 100%

References:1. Lage MJ, Platt G, Treglia, M. Inverting the classroom: a gateway to

creating an inclusive learning environment. Journal of Ecomonic Education. 2000;31(1 (Winter)):30–43.

2. 11. Tucker B. The flipped curriculum. Education Next. 2012;12(1):82–83.

Image source: http://www.knewton.com/flipped-classroom/, taken on 6/12/2012