Speech-language pathology clinical educators’ perspectives on the benefits and drawbacks of telesupervision: a qualitative analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT This qualitative study, conducted during the 1st year of the COVID-19 pandemic, analyzed speech-language pathology (SLP) clinical educators’ perspectives on the benefits and drawbacks of using telesupervision to achieve clinical effectiveness during a telepractice visit. Findings suggest that the context of telesupervision was perceived to impact clinical education, both by enhancing increased supervised practice opportunities but also restricting it to specific populations and service types. The supervisory relationship was perceived to be enhanced by telesupervision in the simplicity of meeting with students while also being reduced due to a loss of interpersonal connection between supervisor and student. The impact of telesupervision on the clinical learning environment, clinical education, and supervisory relationship was reported more frequently than the impact of technology on telesupervision. Telesupervision has both merits and challenges that must be considered when developing professional development content.