University of the Free State allied health professions students' expectations and experience of an undergraduate physiology course

Abstract

Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Dietetics students taking a two semester physiology course completed voluntary questionnaires at the first and last contact sessions of the year. These data as well as students' June and November examination results were included in a database and analysed. In more than 90 per cent of cases students responded that their expectations had been met after completing the course. No association was found between previous experience of physiology and/or biology and passing with distinction, students' definition of physiology, or their reasons for taking the course. No association existed between passing with distinction and students' reasons for taking the course. This study is a step towards realising the ideal in higher education of confirming perceived change with evidence of material change, as both students' expectations were met and high success rates were achieved. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol. 19 (2) 2006: pp.306-315