Second Annual Geneva R. Johnson Innovations in Physical Therapy Education Forum: Inspiring Voices to Orchestrate Change in Physical Therapy Education

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONThe vision and inspiration of Dr Geneva R. Johnson (Figure 1) led to many innovations in professional education and, by extension, in physical therapy practice and research. The Annual Geneva R. Johnson Innovations in Physical Therapy Education Forum (GRJ Forum) honors Dr Johnson's prodigious impact on education for physical therapists and provides an opportunity annually for educators to explore options for innovation and change outside the boundaries of tradition or institutional constraint. The annual GRJ Forum was inaugurated in 2014 by the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT) and the Physical Therapy Learning Institute (PTLI) to launch the Education Leadership Conference (ELC), held annually to unite educators in the pursuit of excellence in physical therapy education. Key to its success was the use of appreciative inquiry (AI)1,2 to encourage exploration (rather than problem solving), creativity (rather than imitation) and bold action (rather than maintaining the status quo). The outcomes of the 2014 GRJ Forum3 excited the continued query of What If? as a pathway for discovering new possibilities for transforming the education that supports our profession. Reported below are the outcomes of the Second Annual Geneva R. Johnson Innovations in Physical Therapy Education Forum, held as the opening session of the 2015 ELC in Baltimore, Maryland. The GRJ Forum continues to foster the courageous pursuit of change demanded by Dr Johnson, whose leadership in physical therapy education is legendary, but never static.THE GRJ FORUM: ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTUREThe GRJ Forum is designed to:* Create a safe environment for key stakeholders in physical therapy education to discuss the infinite possibilities of the future, rather than focusing on problems of the past.* Encourage vision, innovation, creativity, and provocative new ideas that can positively influence the future of physical therapy education.* Challenge educators to proactively advance physical therapy education forward to prepare graduates to meet projected societal and professional needs rather than merely react to external pressures.3The 1st GRJ Forum had 5 components: (1) an inspirational keynote address delivered by a known provocateur, (2) 3 brief Ignite Talks delivered by change-oriented leaders invited to prod the audience further toward creative thought, (3) cafe style discussions facilitated by leaders trained to guide discussion into imaginative thinking, (4) reporting of key ideas developed in the discussions, and (5) a summary designed to invigorate energetic partnership in excellence for the education of all future generations of professional physi cal therapists. This year, a sixth element was added to create postconference momentum for change and encourage continued discussion of new possibilities. Participants selected a target for change in their home environments, made a commitment to action, and gave permission to be contacted in 6 months to determine progress toward that idea. This feature of the 2015 opening session extends the impact of the GRJ Forum beyond the walls of ELC and into the authentic world of physical therapy education.The 2015 GRJ Forum featured a keynote address delivered to all 700 conference participants by Dr Susan S. Deusinger, PT, PhD, FAPTA, leader and visionary in physical therapy education who used a musical analogy to demonstrate the dynamics of change in our profession. The Ignite Talks were delivered by 3 leaders active in academic and clinical education who shared their insights on innovative ideas for change in physical therapy education. The cafe style discussions engaged discussion among 300 participants around 22 topics generated by the keynote and ignite talks. These discussions were facilitated by an invited group of table facilitators who deftly used the principles of AI to help each group explore new possibilities for change. Guiding discussion with key phrases such as Wouldn't it be great if could or How might we fueled the excitement of participants to generate new ideas and prepare to report 3 major suggestions for change to the entire participating group. …