Development and implementation of a mobile application to improve university teaching of electrotherapy

Abstract

M-learning is gaining limelight in university education. However, its use is not widespread in the teaching of Physical Therapy. This discipline is mainly manual in nature but there are subject areas such as Electrotherapy in which the direct manipulation of an electronic device is required for a proper learning of the therapy procedures. This is only possible during laboratory classes; thus autonomous learning is restricted. A recurrent complaint of students is that they only can study the matter in a theoretical way (with textbooks or using notes taken during the sessions) while in contrast their practical skills are evaluated in the exams. This is because they do not have the expensive equipment used in Electrotherapy and the access to teaching devices is restricted to the laboratory hours. The main objective of this work is the development and implementation of a mobile application that simulates the manipulation of clinical devices used in Electrotherapy with the aim of improving learning in this subject area of Physical Therapy. The secondary objectives are: to assess the impact of the application (satisfaction from students and learning outcomes) and to analyze if the application could serve as a reliable method for evaluating students' knowledge of the electrotherapy techniques.