Exploring allied health professional student and academic teacher experiences of teaching and learning clinical skills online in response to COVID-19

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a shift in the teaching and learning of health professional clinical skills from traditional face-to-face approaches to online platforms in Australia. To date, no research has explored fully online teaching and learning of clinical skills from the perspective of students and academic teachers in the health professions. Aims: The aim of this study was to explore student and academic teacher experiences of teaching and learning clinical skills online due to COVID-19. Methods: A qualitative interpretative phenomenological approach was used to investigate health professional student (n=17) and academic teacher (n=10) experiences. Data was analysed thematically and a thematic network tool was applied to identify common themes between the two participant groups. Results: Three overarching themes were generated: 1) rapid adaptations, 2) additional needs in online learning, and 3) what the future holds. Conclusion: The findings of this study have highlighted the importance of providing opportunities for effective practice of, and feedback on, clinical skills when using online platforms. Outcomes of the study reveal the need for clinically relevant teaching and learning resources and integrating clinically relevant and authentic activities from the perspective of health professional students and their academic teachers.