The award recognizes a presentation that has the potential to have a positive influence toward excellence in physical therapy education.
Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Education Melissa H. Scales was selected to receive the Physical Therapy Learning Institute (PTLI) 2021 Education Influencer Award for her education research poster presentation at the 2021 Education and Leadership Conference of the American Physical Therapy Association.
The PTLI Influencer Award is given to a presentation that has the potential to have a positive influence toward excellence in physical therapy education and is consistent with the vision and mission of PTLI.
Her mixed-methods pilot study, “iRAT/tRAT: How assessment and collaboration improve learning in PT Education,” looked at the team-based learning concept of individual and group quizzes to enhance learning pain management concepts in the Department of Physical Therapy Education curriculum. The students would take a short quiz individually and then take the same quiz immediately in a three- to four-person group. The class as a whole would then grade the quiz together. The final grade consisted of a mix of their individual and group grades.
Individual quizzes ensure that students come prepared, and team quizzes allow for students to engage more with the material in a fun “pub trivia” style. Developing effective team dynamics is important for healthcare workers as is going beyond rote memorization of important patient care concepts. Students report enjoying this classroom activity and showed improved grades and confidence in the material assessed.