Comparing Learning Platform Impact on Low Vision Education for Occupational Therapists

• Main Authors: Jaimee D. Perea, William Sit
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Western Michigan University 2020-01-01
• Series: Open Journal of Occupational Therapy
• Subjects: continuing education; educational technology; active learning
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1619&context=ojot

This pilot study examines the impact of face-to-face, remote, and hybrid learning platforms on satisfaction, confidence, and knowledge-application of occupational therapy practitioners during a synchronous low vision continuing education program. Fifteen participants were divided into three groups, each corresponding to one learning platform. They engaged in two 45-min learning sessions and completed pre, post, and follow-up surveys to measure the impact of the learning platform on the dependent variables of satisfaction, confidence, and knowledge application. No significant differences were found between learning platforms for the three variables, but improvements from pre to follow-up survey were found to be significant for confidence and knowledge application for all groups. These findings indicate that similar education provided to occupational therapy practitioners may result in improved confidence and knowledge application to clinical practice from the beginning to the end of the educational program, despite the learning platform. Flexibility with online learning options increased participation and adherence rates. Synchronous remote and hybrid learning platforms may be as effective as traditional face-to-face methods, specifically with increasing practitioner confidence and knowledge application. Remote options may reduce peer interactions but increase flexibility and convenience with scheduling for program scalability and accessibility.