Reflection on the Teaching of Ethics in Physical Therapist Education: Integrating Cases, Theory, and Learning

Abstract

Background and Purpose. Engaging in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) in our classrooms is an important professional role and responsibility for physical therapist educators. In physical therapist education, there is an increased emphasis on the moral and ethical development of students, yet we know little about which learning tools work best. The purpose of this case study was to explore student learning in the teaching of ethics in physical therapist education. Case Description. Evidence for this case comes from the experiences of 3 classes of physical therapist students taking the ethics course from 2003 to 2005. Data sources for the case include data gathered from the following: (1) student debriefing/self-reflection responses following 2 videotaped standardized patient (SP) interactions centered on ethical problems; (2) student peer and selfassessments; (3) student pre- and post-test scores on a self-efficacy survey tool; and (4) instructor reflections on student learning. Outcomes and Discussion. Standardized patient interactions centered on ethical issues provided structured, authentic learning experiences and opportunities for students to grapple with uncertainty in the context of performance. Student performance did vary as those students who were extremely confident in the SP interaction also demonstrated less critical self-reflection on performance. All students demonstrated significant increases between pre and posttest scores on a self-efficacy ethics survey. This case study suggests the following about ethics education in the health professions: (1) one of the most important goals of ethics education may be facilitating development of students' reflective capacity as a critical element in their professional formation, and (2) learning experiences that have clinical authenticity may well be an important element of pedagogical content knowledge.