Managing Clinical Education: The Programme

Abstract

A management framework for the design, implementation and evaluation of clinical education programmes in physiotherapy is presented. The framework has its basis in systems theory, management theory and adult learning theory. In using the CIPP (context, input, process, product) evaluation model as a starting point, the framework proposes that the evaluation of a programme's context and input should be conducted during the planning stages of the curriculum, and evaluation of the programme's process and products should be conducted both during implementation as part of programme development and after the programme for judgement and accreditation of the programme. This framework provides a relevant and comprehensive guide to clinical education programme management. This paper is a sequel to ‘Managing clinical education: The educator-manager and the self-directed learner’ (Higgs, 1992), which discussed the application to the clinical education context of management principles and theories and research related to adult and self-directed learning. A management framework for the design, implementation and evaluation of clinical education programmes in physiotherapy is presented. The framework has its basis in systems theory, management theory and adult learning theory. In using the CIPP (context, input, process, product) evaluation model as a starting point, the framework proposes that the evaluation of a programme's context and input should be conducted during the planning stages of the curriculum, and evaluation of the programme's process and products should be conducted both during implementation as part of programme development and after the programme for judgement and accreditation of the programme. This framework provides a relevant and comprehensive guide to clinical education programme management. This paper is a sequel to ‘Managing clinical education: The educator-manager and the self-directed learner’ (Higgs, 1992), which discussed the application to the clinical education context of management principles and theories and research related to adult and self-directed learning.