Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Jan 5;23(1):7.
doi: 10.1186/s12909-022-03955-x.

Digital learning designs in occupational therapy education: a scoping review

Na-Kyoung Hwang  1 , Sun-Hwa Shim  2 , Hye-Won Cheon  3
Affiliations

Digital learning designs in occupational therapy education: a scoping review

Na-Kyoung Hwang et al. BMC Med Educ. .

Abstract

Background: Digital learning is a rapidly advancing method for teaching and learning in professional health education. Although various digital learning designs have been tried in OT education, studies on digital learning designs are still limited.

Methods: We conducted a scoping study that aimed to identify the digital learning designs used in occupational therapy (OT) education and review the effectiveness, learner perceptions, clinical skills integrated, and technology-based learning strategies used to facilitate learning. Four databases were searched using subheadings and terms relating to digital learning, occupational therapy, and education. The included studies were mapped according to the types of digital learning design, subjects, key clinical skills, and outcomes.

Results: Twenty-two studies were included in this review, most of which were qualitative, observational, or mixed studies of the two designs. The digital learning designs identified in OT education were flipped, blended, hybrid, and distance learning, including e-learning and massive open online courses (MOOC). Among the components of clinical skills, professional reasoning and procedural knowledge were the most integrated into digital learning, and covered various OT subjects. Digital learning designs were reported to be equivalent to or more effective than the traditional face-to-face (F2F) class in learning outcomes of knowledge and skill acquisition, enhancing learning participation, reflection, and collaboration between learners. Various technologies have been used to promote synchronous or asynchronous active learning, providing learning strategies such as thinking, reflection, discussion, peer learning-group activity, and gamifying online learning.

Conclusions: In OT digital learning, appropriate learning subjects, the arrangement of clinical skill components that can be well integrated into digital learning, and the selection of appropriate technologies for effective learning are important. The results should be confirmed within an experimental study design.

Keywords: Digital learning design; Learning outcomes; Learning technology; Occupational therapy education.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Search strategy for Medline Complete
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow chart. OT: occupational therapy
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Technologies used to promote active learning
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Unge J, Lundh P, Gummesson C, Amnér G. Learning spaces for health sciences – what is the role of e-learning in physiotherapy and occupational therapy education? A literature review. Phys Ther Rev. 2018;23(1):50–60. doi: 10.1080/10833196.2018.1447423. - DOI
    1. Guze PA. Using technology to meet the challenges of medical education. Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc. 2015;126:260–270. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Holzberger D, Philipp A, Kunter M. How teachers’ self-efficacy is related to instructional quality: A longitudinal analysis. J Educ Psychol. 2013;105(3):774–786. doi: 10.1037/a0032198. - DOI
    1. Keane T. Leading with technology: 21st century skills = 3Rs + 4Cs. Aust Educ Ldr. 2012;34(2):44.
    1. Simonson M, Smaldino S, Albright M, Zvacek S. Distance: Foundations of Distance Education 5th ed. London: Pearson; 2011. Teaching and learning at a distance.

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources