The Effects of Engagement Activities on Pre-Physical Therapy Students Across One Semester of Class

A ctive engagement has been found to maximize learning, enhance personal development, and enrich communication in the classroom. This study examined how participants’ perceptions of engagement – measured by questions from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) - changed in response to three problem-based learning activities; peer-led workshops, service learning, and journal clubs. Sixty-two undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory class to a career in physical therapy were recruited for three consecutive semesters. Participants were administered a shortened version of the NSSE at the beginning and end of their semester of class. Two NSSE benchmarks - active and collaborative learning and supportive campus environment – were perceived by participants as improved, partially supporting the hypothesis. Participants reported increased engagement in six scalelets (specific subsets of educational experiences) - course challenge, writing, active learning, collaborative learning, diversity, and interpersonal environment . Responses to several scalelets, however, showed a decline in engagement - higher order thinking and information technology. This is the first study to look at changes in NSSE scores across only one semester of class. The study supports problem-based learning, however, recognizes that class design, composition, and instructor may impact student perceptions.