Problem Based Learning

Clarkson University's Department of Physical Therapy provides its Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curriculum in a Porblem-Based Learning (PBL) mode.

Characteristics

PBL

• Is an active learning approach.
• Allows students to direct their own learning under the guidance of faculty.
• Promotes development of skills needed to be a life-long learner
• Stimulates problem-solving skills.
• Develops critical thinking skills.

Students

Students immersed in a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) environment exhibit the following professional characteristics and abilities. They:

• Are comfortable with the dual academic/clinical nature of the Physical Therapy learning environment, which includes early interaction of academic and clinical education.
• Appreciate learning principles and processes as tools to enhance their knowledge.
• Understand and employ learning objectives and learning issues at a very high level.
•  Develop life-long learning skills that allow them to seek answers independently.
• Are active learners.
• Are inquisitive students.
• Demonstrate practical insight.
• Know where to find information.
• Seek on-going feedback, reacting to, and following up on, feedback in a professional manner.
• Interact with patients within a broad context of evaluation, intervention, and patient management skills, and consider diverse aspects of cultural, economic, and social issues related to patient care.

Learning Activities

A variety of learning environments and activities stimulate development of knowledge and skills. These environments and activities include.

Tutorials

• Tutors present cases to small groups of students.
• Students identify what they know, and what they do not know about each case.
• Students create learning issues to guide their study and tutorial discussions.
• Students disperse to seek out information necessary to meet their learning issues.
• Students share and discuss content.
• Students identify new learning issues, refined by previous study and discussion.
• Iterations continue until the case is completed.
• Tutors ensure that all necessary learning issues and content are shared by students, and that only accurate content is shared in tutorials.
• Tutors and students engage in individual and group self-assessment.

Clinical Laboratory

• Clinical skills and behaviors of examination and intervention are developed under faculty instruction and supervision.
• Links from tutorial content and clinical skills and behaviors are enhanced by clinical faculty.

Cadaver Laboratory

• Structure and function of the human body is studied through dissection.
• Dissection demonstrated by faculty is then performed by students under faculty supervision.

Inquiry Seminars

• Presentations and discussions with larger groups of students.
• Opportunities for in-depth examination of specific topics.

Professional Practice

• Part-time and full-time internships in a variety of clinical environments under supervision by a clinical instructor.
• Practice through interaction with diverse patient populations in a variety of clinical environments.