An independent learning manual to support clinical reasoning and facilitate reflection in early physiotherapy student placements: a case study

In response to student feedback and in line with the concept of ‘guided discovery learning’, we designed an independent learning manual (ILM) to support students over the course of their first major clinical placement. In particular, the ILM was introduced to facilitate the development of clinical reasoning skills, and encourage independent learning and self-reflection. The manual was issued to students in the first year of the physiotherapy program at Griffith University in 2009 and to all associated clinical educators. Student and educator satisfaction of the ILM was determined by survey, while student performance was determined by clinical placement grades and compared to that of the previous cohort unsupported by the ILM. Students rated the ILM as an effective resource (5.0 ±0.8 on 7-point scale, n = 49) and educators rated the ILM as very effective (4.1 ±0.4 on 5-point scale, n = 7). Further, clinical placement grades were greater for students issued with the ILM compared to students without the ILM (82.8 ±9.5 vs. 77.7 ±10.7, p = 0.01). In all, we found that a new resource to support physiotherapy students in an orthopaedic clinical placement was well-received by students and educators and resulted in higher clinical placement grades in comparison to the previous year.