Physical Faculty Research Articles

First station from the Sofia University Seismic Network

The first seismic station of the Seismic Network of Sofia University (SNSU) was built in 2023 with funding from the Scientific Research Fund of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. The station is operating in the Faculty of Physics since September 2023. The equipment consists of a seismometer Geophone 4.5 Hz and a digitiser PSN-ADC24. A portable computer is used for data recording and archiving. During the month of station operation several earthquakes in Bulgaria and neighbouring countries were analysed. The spectrum of the seismic noise from the station was analysed for different periods. The characteristics of the terrain of station installation were also determined using the method H/V. Although the equipment has modest capabilities, it allows students and young scientists to work directly with the seismic equipment and to do scientific investigations. The possibility of scientific research will be expanded renewing the equipment (purchased in October 2023).

The value of using different types of physics problems to help students become proficient problem-solvers

During a professional development course for graduate student teaching assistants (TAs), a question was asked–would you use a context-rich problem (presented via a narrative set in a real-world context, not broken into parts and sometimes even without an explicit question) in an introductory physics class, and if so, how? One graduate TA’s sentiment appeared to resonate with most of the other TAs in the class, ‘I will not use this at all.’. Though more experienced in teaching, physics faculty often share this point of view–less than half of interviewed faculty members indicated they appreciated yet would not use such a problem. But if we want students to become proficient problem-solvers, should we not employ a comprehensive toolbox containing a wide variety of problem-types? Is there not a place for a context-rich problem in our teaching or are we overlooking the benefits and utility of problems such as these? Evidence continues to suggest that TAs and faculty alike both appear to be reluctant to adopt some types of physics problems in their teaching, while relying almost completely on just a couple types of problems. Based upon education research data, we believe it is time to broaden those horizons.

The physical and psychosocial impact of a school-based running programme for adolescents with disabilities.

Adolescents with disabilities have fewer opportunities to participate in community-based fitness programmes. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a school-based running programme at a local middle school in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, on fitness and quality of life (QoL) in children with physical and cognitive disabilities in a life-skills classroom. Nineteen adolescents with diagnosed disabilities including intellectual disability (ID), autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome were recruited from three life-skills classrooms to participate in a school-based running programme. The programme was designed to be implemented two times/week for 6weeks by classroom teachers/aides. Physical therapy faculty and students developed the programme and assisted with implementation. Each session lasted 30min, consisting of a warm-up and cooldown, relay races, games and timed runs. Pre- and post-test measures included physiological cost index (PCI) and Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL™). Pre- and post-test data were compared using Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Each week participants also completed a training log to reflect on the activity for the day. Participants demonstrated significant improvements in PCI (P=0.028) and the PedsQL™ (P=0.008) following the running programme. Results of this study suggest that participation in a 6-week school-based running programme may improve fitness and QoL in adolescents with disabilities.

Design and implementation of an IoT-based educational model for smart homes: a STEM approach

This work presents a comprehensive study on the design and implementation of an educational model for a smart home, leveraging the principles of the Internet of Things (IoT). The model encompasses three key levels: command, communication, and management, and integrates several subsystems, including communication, signalling, lighting control, temperature regulation, garbage container filling, nd sensor data monitoring. The hardware components for implementing the Mini Smart House, a practical application of the model, are detailed in the study. The Mini Smart House utilizes a range of technologies for efficient management and incorporates renewable energy sources for power. The model was independently produced by students participating in a STEM project, with research activities encompassing sketching, construction part creation, sensor assembly, Arduino board programming in the Arduino IDE environment, and system functionality testing. The Mini Smart House was validated within the STEM-center of the Physics and Mathematics Faculty of Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University during the educational process and numerous trainings and seminars for pupils and teachers of computer science.

The current state of anatomy education in United States doctor of physical therapy programs.

Physical therapy education has significantly evolved over the past few decades. While gross anatomy is integral to physical therapy education curricula, the current state of anatomy education within these programs is not well understood. The primary purpose of this report was to provide an update on the current state of anatomy education across United States (US) Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs. A survey was disseminated to all 261 accredited US physical therapy programs. The survey was deployed in November 2020 with a deadline to respond by January 15, 2021. The response rate was 32.6% (85/261). When teaching anatomy, 90.5% of the responding programs used dissection, 71.4% used didactic lectures, 60.7% used computer-assisted technology, 58% used prosections, 23.8% used plastinated models, and 31% reported using other methods. DPT programs have experienced declines in PhD faculty (15.7%) and Master of Physical Therapy faculty (15.3%) and notable increases in DPT (16.5%) and physician faculty (8.2%) teaching anatomy within DPT programs. Despite greater use of computer-assisted technologies, these technologies have not replaced donor-based dissection in DPT programs.

Journey Towards Perfection: The Concept of Insan Kamil in al-Jili's Philosophy

The contemporary phenomenon of an identity crisis experienced by individuals in the modern era has increasingly eroded their comprehension and consciousness of their inherent essence and self-identity. Individuals, in the course of this ongoing crisis, tend to forget their fundamental identity as human beings, despite the fact that this recognition serves as the fundamental key to establishing a profound connection with their Creator. In response to this pressing concern, Abdul Karim al-Jili, through his conceptual framework of “insan kamil” or the “perfect human,” elucidates the multifaceted characteristics that constitute the identity of a human being. The present research adopts a qualitative approach, utilizing a library research method, to delve into the core of al-Jili’s philosophical insights. A content analysis approach is employed to draw valid inferences from pertinent texts that encapsulate the philosophical musings of Abdul Karim al-Jili. The findings of this study lead to a comprehensive conclusion: the definition of human identity, as postulated by Abdul Karim al-Jili, encapsulates the inherent state and attributes present within human beings, encompassing both the spiritual, metaphysical dimension and the physical faculties. These attributes collectively empower human beings to assume the sacred role of vicegerents of God on Earth. Moreover, within the concept of “insan kamil” as conceptualized by al-Jili, the emphasis is placed on the spiritual and metaphysical aspect of human identity, although it does not negate the role played by the physical dimension. To ascend to the level of “tajalli,” or divine manifestation, and to attain perfection as a human being, it is incumbent upon individuals to practice and embody the values enshrined in the pillars of Islam or outwardly express their devotion while nurturing their inner spiritual dimensions. On the external front, adherence to the guidance of religious law is imperative. Meanwhile, on the internal aspect, individuals must cultivate the capacity to grasp the profound meanings inherent in their actions and devotional practices.

Justice in Educational Content: A Guide to Racial and Cultural Representation in Academic and Clinical Teaching and Assessment.

Case-based instruction is broadly used in health professions education, including physical therapy education. Case-based instruction can support achievement of higher-order, applied, learning objectives and clinical reasoning. Instructors strive to represent the diversity of the clinical population in case studies and may have explicit intercultural competency objectives. The inclusion of cultural, racial, and ethnic characteristics in cases or assessments can potentially reinforce stereotypes or inaccurately emphasize these characteristics as direct predictors of health profile. Furthermore, as most physical therapy faculty creating cases are from a White majority stance, there is a risk that inclusion of cultural elements risks inappropriate and biased representation. Well-intentioned instructors risk substituting cultural, racial, and ethnic characteristics for social and structural determinants of health. Race is a social, not biologic construction and should not be confused. Informed instructors guided by evidence-based strategies can achieve rich case depictions that do not convey inaccurate risk or alienate learners. A curriculum design strategy is offered for case development that brings explicit attention to representation of race and culture. This tool serves as a self-reflective and improvement tool. Continued community and student engagement is necessary to achieve high-quality and instructive case studies.

Preliminary Survey of Exposure to Indoor Radon in al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan

Radon is a major source of naturally occurring radioactivity, and its measurement is considered extremely important in radiation protection, given its association with lung cancer. This pilot study aimed to estimate the annual effective dose received by students and staff based on monitoring data on the concentration of radon in the buildings of al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan), based on the distance to the tectonic fault. The measurements were recorded daily from February 2021 to September 2022 using a RAMON-02 radiometer (SOLO LLP, Almaty, Kazakhstan). All measurements were taken from the basement to the top floor under normal conditions of use. The average accumulated concentrations of radon in the studied buildings ranged from 16.34 to 78.33 Bq/m3, which is below the maximum level of 100 Bq/m3 established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan (200 Bq/m3). Relatively high values were recorded in the basement of the Faculty of Physics and Technology building (282.0 Bq/m3 in winter, 1742.0 Bq/m3 in spring, 547.7 Bq/m3 in summer, and 550.7 Bq/m3 in autumn), which is located closest to the tectonic fault and poorly ventilated. In almost all rooms (94%), radon levels were within the WHO-recommended reference level. The averaged results show the influence of the distance to the fault on the average indoor radon levels. The annual effective dose of radon for university students and staff ranged from 1.09 mSv/year to 1.53 mSv/year. The excess lifetime risk of developing cancer ranged from 0.44% to 0.61%.

Patient Advocate Presence Helps Poster Presenters Understand Clinical Significance of their Research and Increases Empathy

Patient advocates represent the voice of the patient community and bring a unique perspective to research. We hypothesized that including patient advocates in poster sessions allow trainees to communicate their science in lay language, have an increased understanding of the clinical impact of their work, and increase their empathy for patients. A survey was designed to assess the impact invited patient advocates had on poster presenters at our Department of Radiation Oncology Research Symposium. The two advocates, one with primary breast and primary endometrial cancer, and one with metastatic breast cancer, visited each poster to discuss the project goals and outcomes with all 16 researchers (graduate/medical students, postdoctoral fellows including medical and physics residents, laboratory assistants, and faculty). The survey included demographics, and Likert scored questions about their ease in discussing research and use of lay language, the impact of the advocate on increasing the presenter's empathy and understanding the clinical significance of their work, and future role of advocates in complementing their research. Following the poster session, 14 of 16 participants completed the survey. Respondents were 57.1% male, 57.1% younger than 30 years old, and 50% people of color. Poster presenters comprised: 35.7% Graduate/Medical Students, 42.9% Medical/Physics Residents or Postdoctoral Fellows, 14% Faculty, and 7% laboratory assistants. All respondents agreed/strongly agreed they were comfortable talking to advocates. Overall, 42.8% of participants strongly agreed that they could talk to the patient advocate in lay language. 85.7% agreed/strongly agreed that their empathy for patients increased by this interaction. Although 92.9% of poster presenters believed patient advocates were able to help them understand the clinical impact of their research and 71.4% believed advocates helped them think of ideas to complement their research, 57.1% did not believe advocates could help them identify novel research conclusions. Most respondents would like advocates at future poster presentations (92.9%), but were not as sure and they would like advocates participating in study design or data analysis. Women, people of color, and graduate/medical students were most comfortable communicating in lay language, believed advocates increased their empathy and understanding of the clinical significance of their work. Patient advocates in poster sessions help trainees communicate their science, increase their empathy and understanding of the clinical impact of their research. Workshops should be considered to help young scientists communicate their science in lay language. Future radiation oncology training should consider including the patient advocate voice to improve the tangible connection between research and real-world impact.

Assessment of subject and methodological competencies of graduates of a pedagogical university — future teachers of informatics: Deficits and prospects

The article is devoted to the analysis of the assessment results of pedagogical university graduates’ subject and methodological competencies to determine the professional deficits of future informatics teachers, their readiness for professional pedagogical activity, building continuity between the training of pedagogical personnel and the subsequent support of graduates of a pedagogical university in professional activities in the creation and implementation of a continuous system of pedagogical education. 35 students of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the Voronezh State Pedagogical University took part in the study in 2022: 10 graduates in the field of training 44.03.01 “Pedagogical Education” (profile “Informatics and ICT”) and 25 graduates in the field of training 44.03.05 “Pedagogical Education (with two training profiles)” (profiles “Mathematics”, “Informatics”). The maximum number of primary points for diagnostic work is 38 points. In the course of the study, the graduates performed a diagnostic work consisting of 16 tasks: the first part of the work evaluated subject competencies, and the second part assessed methodological competencies of future teachers of informatics. The analysis of the obtained results was carried out using the single-sample Kolmogorov—Smirnov test, the Student’s t-test for independent samples. The results were systematized and visualized in Microsoft Excel spreadsheets; statistical analysis was carried out in the SPSS Statistics 26.0 software. The results of the study indicate that the majority of graduates of the pedagogical university, future teachers of informatics, do not reach the basic level of formation of subject and methodological competencies and that graduates have deficits in subject and methodological training. Graduates of the 4th year of “Pedagogical Education” (profile “Informatics and ICT”) demonstrated higher results compared to graduates of the 5th year of “Pedagogical Education (with two training profiles)” (profile “Mathematics”, “Informatics”). The results of the study show the need for changes in the content and organization of the educational process of training future informatics teachers at the pedagogical university. The obtained results may be of interest to university teachers who train future teachers of informatics, institutes of education development, and centers of continuous improvement of pedagogical skills, providing advanced training and professional retraining of teachers of informatics.

Students' Perception of Servant Leadership by Physical Therapy Faculty Mentors Is Associated With Interprofessional Socialization.

Promoting interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) is necessary. Consequently, investigating strategies associated with increased interprofessional socialization, the beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes underlying socialization toward IPCP is suggested. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship, in the presence of control variables, between students' perception of servant leadership by physical therapy faculty mentors and interprofessional socialization. Although faculty mentors are associated with influencing students' socialization process and servant leadership is suggested to support collaborative care, investigations exploring these concepts within physical therapy education are limited. Three cohorts of students (60 each) at an entry-level physical therapist education program in the Midwest of the United States. One hundred seventy individuals completed an anonymous paper-based composite survey, with 117 identifying the presence of an informal physical therapy faculty mentor. This cross-sectional survey study, inclusive of student demographic control variables, examined the relationship between interprofessional socialization and perceptions of physical therapy faculty mentors, as measured by the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS-21) and the Servant Leadership Measure (SL-7), respectively. Multiple linear regression was used to obtain the semi-partial correlation (sr) between the SL-7 and the ISVS-21, with significance accepted at P < .05. Upon necessary assumptions being met, 114 participants were included with an analysis of variance identifying the model to be significant (F(8,105) = 2.59, P = .01). Multiple linear regression analysis found that the SL-7, in the presence of control variables, was associated with a significant proportion of ISVS-21 scores (R2 = 0.17, F(8,105) = 2.59, P = .01). Notably, only the SL-7 demonstrated a significant contribution to ISVS-21 estimates (β = 0.358, P < .001), with a significant and positive sr of 0.34 (P < .001). Perceptions of servant leadership by faculty mentors were positively correlated with interprofessional socialization. Findings bolster the theoretical link between servant leadership and interprofessional socialization, servant leadership in the development of faculty and mentorship programs, and the relevance of informal social interactions.

On biophysics and a chair of biophysics at the faculty of physics of Moscow State University

A historical timeline created to celebrate the 63-year anniversary of a chair of biophysics, the first in the world of science chair founded at Lomonosov State Moscow University. Professor Lev Alexandrovich Blumenfeld and Professor Simon El’evich Shnoll, who both departed this life in 2002 and 2021, respectively, started the chair. In the latest issues of journal "Biophysics", a large series of articles written and prepared by friends, colleagues, students, and the successors of these outstanding scientists have been published. This article closes this series. The article includes a brief historical overview of the formation of world and Russian biophysics as a scientific discipline, gives information about the history of how the Chair of Biophysics has been established, its main achievements and the scientific schools formed within the walls of this Department.

Student and Faculty Perspectives on the Usefulness and Usability of a Digital Health Educational Tool to Teach Standardized Assessment of Persons After Stroke: Mixed Methods Study.

The VSTEP Examination Suite is a collection of evidence-based standardized assessments for persons after stroke. It was developed by an interdisciplinary team in collaboration with clinician users. It consists of 5 standardized assessments: 2 performance-based tests using the Kinect camera (Microsoft Corp) to collect kinematics (5-Time Sit-to-Stand and 4-Square Test); 2 additional performance-based tests (10-Meter Walk Test and 6-Minute Walk Test); and 1 patient-reported outcome measure, the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale. This study aimed to describe the development of the VSTEP Examination Suite and its evaluation as an educational tool by physical therapy students and faculty to determine its usefulness and usability. A total of 6 students from a Doctor of Physical Therapy program in the United States and 6 faculty members who teach standardized assessments in different physical therapy programs from the United States and Israel were recruited by convenience sampling to participate in the study. They interacted with the system using a talk-aloud procedure either in pairs or individually. The transcripts of the sessions were coded deductively (by 3 investigators) with a priori categories of usability and usefulness, and comments were labeled as negative or positive. The frequencies of the deductive themes of usefulness and usability were tested for differences between faculty and students using a Wilcoxon rank sum test. A second round of inductive coding was performed by 3 investigators guided by theories of technology adoption, clinical reasoning, and education. The faculty members' and students' positive useful comments ranged from 83% (10/12) to 100%. There were no significant differences in usefulness comments between students and faculty. Regarding usability, faculty and students had the lowest frequency of positive comments for the 10-Meter Walk Test (5/10, 50%). Students also reported a high frequency of negative comments on the 4-Square Test (9/21, 43%). Students had a statistically significantly higher number of negative usability comments compared with faculty (W=5.7; P=.02), specifically for the 5-Time Sit-to-Stand (W=5.3; P=.02). Themes emerged related to variable knowledge about the standardized tests, value as a teaching and learning tool, technology being consistent with clinical reasoning in addition to ensuring reliability, expert-to-novice clinical reasoning (students), and usability. The VSTEP Examination Suite was found to be useful by both faculty and students. Reasons for perceived usefulness had some overlap, but there were also differences based on role and experience. Usability testing revealed opportunities for technology refinement. The development of the technology by interdisciplinary teams and testing with multiple types of users may increase adoption.

About Biophysics and the Chair of Biophysics at the Faculty of Physics of Moscow State University

About Biophysics and the Chair of Biophysics at the Faculty of Physics of Moscow State University

A NEW APPROACH TO ACTIVE FLEXIBILITY MEASUREMENT IN STUDENTS OF SPORTS SCIENCES FACULTIES

The aim of the study is the determination of the hamstrings, hip muscles, and lower and upper muscles' active flexibility. Thus, by using a new method of the measurement of active flexibility which is based on angle degree, we aim to provide information about the contribution ratio of hamstrings, hips, and lower and upper back muscles on reachability performance. A total of 26 physical education and sports science faculty girls (weight: 57.7kg, height: 164.2cm), and 128 boys (weight: 72.1kg, height: 176.9cm) was included. To measure the flexibility of the students the Kinovea-0.9.4-x64.exe program was used. Measurements included tests such as the LUBAD, LBLBAD, LBPAG, SRT and MSRT. In the data analysis one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and the percentage formula: “%= (X / X) *100” was used. Correlations between reachability tests such as SRT and MSRT, and tests which are supposed to measure the lower and upper back effect of reachability LUBAD, LBLBAD are statistically significant (p&lt;0.05). In girls, just 23%, and boys 26% of active flexibility is caused by hamstrings and hip muscles, while in the girls 77%, and in boys, 74% of the active flexibility was caused by the lower and upper back muscles. The girls resulted to use a higher ratio the upper back flexibility to cover the lack of hips, and hamstrings muscles flexibility while they perform reachability tests. Thus, the reachability is not caused just by hamstrings, and hips muscles, but also it is affected by the lower and upper back muscles' active flexibility.

Space debris surface characterization through BVRcIc photometry

The increasing population of space debris orbiting the Earth, poses a significant threat to operational and future missions. The follow-up observations of space objects can help to estimate their rotational states, albedo, shape, size, and to characterize surface properties of the object and its composition. Such field is known as object characterization and uses all kinds of photometric and spectroscopic methods to investigate object’s physical properties. The 70 cm newton reflector (AGO70) operated by the Faculty of mathematics, physics and informatics of the Comenius University Bratislava, Slovakia focuses mainly on the follow-up observations of man-made space debris population. One of the photometric methods is color - specifically BVRcIc photometry. It uses different photometric passbands of the visible light to estimate how much sunlight the object reflects in particular channels. Each material has reflective signatures, which enable us to distinguish different features on the object’s surface and provide information about the object’s attitude or utilize the categorization into the population or material groups. The study presents a detailed description of methods that must be utilized to be able to extract the standard color indices of space debris objects, as well as our implementation and understanding of these methods. Moreover, color index dependencies on the phase angle, object’s rotational state, and attitude state are discussed step-by-step in specific examples. Our complete pipeline from target selection, observation planning, data acquisition, data processing, and interpretation is demonstrated on the extensive observations of the CZ-3B third upper stage which was used as a test case in this study. In this study, we define what features of the rotating objects can be seen by the BVRcIc photometry, furthermore, we discuss the materials that are the main drivers of reflection. Finally, we describe ways how to interpret these data for space debris characterization.

APPLICATION OF THE CASE METHOD IN THE PROCESS OF STUDYING THE COURSE “METHODS OF MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS”

The article considers the use of case-study method while studying of the topic “Equations with partial derivatives of the hyperbolic type” from the course “Methods of mathematical physics”. The requirements for the educational institutions are outlined in accordance with the concept of mathematical education in Ukraine. The emphasis is placed on the system-activity approach to the learning process. Attention is focused on the necessity to use the method of problem-based learning and one of its forms – the case method. There has been analyzed the concept of a case. There have been described the advantages of the case-study method and the system of requirements for it. There has been revealed the importance of choosing the topic “Equations with partial derivatives of the hyperbolic type” related to its applied nature. The article demonstrates the main stages of the research work of students of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics in establishing the minimum conditions for the solvability of a mixed problem for a linear homogeneous hyperbolic equation. The paper also identifies and characterizes the main groups of results to be processed. The investigation indicates the selection criteria that help to establish the minimum conditions for the existence of a solution of a mixed problem for a linear homogeneous hyperbolic equation. The results of the research are presented in the form of a table. The research presents the main statements recognized as the best conditions corresponding to the set goal of the study. The originality of the method of proving statements and the skillful combination of two important topics of the course “Methods of mathematical physics” – “Equations with partial derivatives of the hyperbolic type” and “Integral equations” are noted. Application of the case-study method makes it possible to activate the learning process, to form positive motivation and to renew the creative potential of teachers. Proven research work within the course “Methods of mathematical physics” provides a solid basis for using the case method in the further professional activities of teachers. Along with this, the theoretical and methodical preparation of case technologies in institutions of higher education requires further improvement.

“Knock, Knock … Who’s There?” ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence-Powered Large Language Models: Reflections on Potential Impacts Within Health and Physical Education Teacher Education

This research note suggests the emergence of Artificial Intelligence-powered chatbots like ChatGPT pose challenges to the future of higher education. We as a field should pay attention to issues and opportunities associated with this technology across learning, teaching, and research spaces. We propose ignoring, or being indifferent to, predictions about what technologies like Artificial Intelligence-powered chatbots can do can cause us to do “dumb things.” All health and physical education teacher education faculty members should make efforts to learn about these tools to facilitate informed, solution-focused decisions about whether and where to leverage them. We highlight the importance of maintaining sociocritical perspectives when considering use of digital technologies to understand and address digital (in)equity and promote equitable practices. We conclude by emphasizing the need for field-specific consensus statements to guide ethical and appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence-powered chatbots, to ensure the value of these tools is harnessed for the good of the society. [Output by ChatGPT-3]

The Association of Relational Coordination and Faculty Members' Burnout and Job Satisfaction: A Preliminary Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction. The relational coordination theory describes the interaction between effective communication and high-quality relationships critical for coordinating and accomplishing tasks when multiple individuals and groups are involved. Review of Literature. Relational coordination is associated with improved worker performance, increased job satisfaction, and reduced burnout. The purposes of this paper were to examine the differences in physical therapist education program (PTEP) core faculty members' perceived relational coordination with other PTEP faculty members, staff, and administration and to examine the associations between PTEP core faculty members' perceived relational coordination and its subscales and their perceived burnout and job satisfaction. Subjects. Entry-level PTEP core faculty members. Methods. An online survey that included the Relational Coordination Survey, Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, and Job Satisfaction Survey was used. A 1-way analysis of variance was conducted to test whether there were differences in PTEP core faculty members' perceived relational coordination with other PTEP faculty members, staff, and administration. Several simple linear regressions were conducted to test the associations between PTEP core faculty members' perceived relational coordination and its subscales and their perceived burnout and job satisfaction. Results. A total of 103 responses were analyzed. The PTEP core faculty members' mean perceived relational coordination with core faculty members was significantly higher than the mean relational coordination with associated faculty members, administration, and staff. Physical therapist education program core faculty members' perceived relational coordination and all its subscales were negatively associated with perceived disengagement. Perceived problem-solving communication and mutual respect were negatively associated with perceived exhaustion. Physical therapist education program core faculty members' perceived relational coordination and all its subscales were positively associated with perceived job satisfaction. Discussion and Conclusion. The quality of communication and relationships between and among core faculty members, administrators, and staff may affect PTEP core faculty members' perceived burnout and job satisfaction.

Physical Therapy Students Experience Reductions in Physical Activity and Social Interaction During Coronavirus-Related Curricular Changes: A Cohort Study

Purpose: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic challenged physical therapy students and faculty. The faculty at this institution implemented a modular curriculum progressing from in-person to remote learning to parallel a predicted autumn COVID-19 surge. This study compares the effect of varying educational models on physical therapy students’ physical activity and social isolation outcomes during their program’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that changes in students’ physical activity and social interaction would be observed throughout the semester as the curriculum became more distance based. Methods: This prospective cohort investigation of 42 students from a single physical therapy program was conducted from August through December of 2020. Students’ physical activity [International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)] and social isolation [Lubben Social Network Scale-6 (LSNS-6)] were assessed at four timepoints. Each timepoint included progressively less in-person interaction and more remote learning. Repeated-measures ANOVAs were performed for each measure, with associated post hoc timepoint comparisons. Results: Students’ IPAQ scores were significantly affected by time, F(2.54, 104.18) = 6.71, p = .001, ɷ2 = .19, as were their scores on the LSNS-6, F(2.48,101.48) = 4.09, p = .013, ɷ2 = .060. Conclusions: Statistical reductions in physical activity and social interactions were observed; however, on average the cohort did not drop below at-risk levels on either the IPAQ or LSNS-6. Faculty can rest assured that any curricular model will not adversely affect students; however, should be aware of the adverse effects observed in a minority of students who may be at increased risk.