Winter School on sEMG Signal Processing: An Initiative to Reduce Educational Gaps and to Promote the Engagement of Physiotherapists and Movement Scientists With Science

Carlos De La Fuente,Marcos R Kunzler,Felipe P Carpes,Álvaro S Machado

doi:10.3389/fneur.2020.00509

Abstract

The application of surface electromyography (sEMG) in neurology is sometimes limited by a scientific background in the use of sEMG. Students frequently use sEMG only when developing their graduate studies. To reduce these barriers, we promoted a free Winter School on sEMG to Latin American students. The school was a 3-day event with theoretical classes and computer programming in Matlab. Lectures were delivered in Portuguese and Spanish to 50 participants. All lectures were recorded and made available on YouTube®. After the School, participants completed a written exam to receive a certificate. The written exam revealed the average effectiveness of 71 ± 20% in the comprehension of topics addressed during the school. Participants rated the School as “excellent” and considered the event as having changed their thoughts about the use of sEMG. Limited mathematical skills or background were the main barriers identified to follow the lectures and to make use of sEMG. We conclude that the Winter School had a positive impact on participant's formation, especially by showing them the importance of continuous involvement with the concepts related to sEMG to become proficient in its use. From the participant's point of view, the activity was excellent and the follow up of the school on YouTube® suggests that combining face-to-face activities followed by the online availability of lectures is a valid strategy to reinforce the learning process and to reduce barriers in the use of sEMG. Whether similar results would be achieved for a paid registration event in an economically developing region, still requires further investigation.

Highlights

Latin America is one of the most unequal regions in the world based on the Gini Index [1]
We consider that restriction in universal access to higher education, as observed in economically developing countries, plays a major role in these barriers
In Brazil, most of the exposition to science happens for students attending free public universities, which are the institutions producing most of the scientific research in that country and Latin America

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Latin America is one of the most unequal regions in the world based on the Gini Index [1]. Different groups of scientists try to provide solutions to reduce these effects and companies try to improve the software for each new version launched Considering all these aspects, we promote educational activities that reduce the knowledge gap and barriers faced when using sEMG, observed among health professionals who want to or already do use of sEMG without proper training in basic concepts related to its use. It became clear during the school that in addition to the basic physiological and mathematics concepts, there are technical aspects of sEMG that can be considered a barrier to the correct methodological use of sEMG in daily clinical practice These mixed limitations between math and physiology are frequently observed for health students and professionals. We recommend the organization of basic science schools for health careers in Latin-America, and to frequently develop critical lectures to fill educational gaps, using theoretical frameworks similar to those of engineering and other sciences, but adding innovative learning strategies from modern pedagogy in health sciences, that considers the biological profile of the students and professionals of health and life sciences

CONCLUSION

Findings

ETHICS STATEMENT