Using video podcasting to enhance the learning of clinical skills: A qualitative study of physiotherapy students' experiences.

BACKGROUND: Video podcasts, or vodcasts are increasingly used by a range of healthcare professions in the mastery of new skills. Little is known about the experiences of using vodcasts in physiotherapy education. Traditional pedagogic strategies have been employed in order to master those skills required for physiotherapy practice. There have been advances in the use of technology in medical education in the nursing, dentistry and medical fields. Vodcasts offer great versatility and potential when used as a pedagogical tool, embedded within a physiotherapy curriculum.

AIM: To explore students' experiences of using technology enhanced learning, namely vodcasts, in the Physiotherapy curriculum to develop the learning of clinical skills.

METHOD: A series of focus groups were carried out with undergraduate and pre-registration physiotherapy students (n=31).

FINDINGS: Students valued the versatility and audio-visual nature of vodcasts; helpful in revising for practical examinations and practising their skills prior to, during and after taught skills classes. Watching and practising simultaneously allowed students to practice repeatedly and formulate a process for each skill. When learning a new skill, a combination of teaching and learning approaches was favoured, marrying traditional approaches with those that utilise technology.

CONCLUSIONS: This study's findings add to the existing body of evidence in skills based teaching and support a multi-media, blended approach in those disciplines involved in the learning and teaching of clinical skills.