Preparing physiotherapists for the future: the development and evaluation of an innovative curriculum

Preparing physiotherapists for the future: the development and evaluation of an innovative curriculum | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Preparing physiotherapists for the future: the development and evaluation of an innovative curriculum Niki Stolwijk, Anne van Bergen, Evy Jetten, Marjo Maas This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5014136/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 17 Jan, 2025 Read the published version in BMC Medical Education → Version 1 posted 4 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Educational innovation in health professional education is needed to keep up with rapidly changing healthcare systems and societal needs. This study evaluates the implementation of PACE, an innovative curriculum designed by the physiotherapy department of the HAN University of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands. The PACE concept features an integrated approach to learning and assessment based on pre-set learning outcomes, personalized learning goals, flexible learning routes, and programmatic assessment. PACE distinguishes itself from traditional education because of the flexible learning routes, vertical organization in learning communities, absence of pre-defined learning activities and class schedules, and a culture of continuous learning and development. PACE is based on three guiding principles: 1) flexible and varied, 2) self-directed and collaborative, 3) future-oriented. PACE was implemented in 2021 for first-year students. This study evaluates the implementation to inform future curriculum development. Methods A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used to evaluate the implementation of PACE using a questionnaire, focus groups, in-depth interviews, and a national progress test allowing for benchmarking results. Participants were undergraduate physiotherapy students of cohort 2021–2022, the first group who experienced PACE and teachers involved with this cohort. Questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. To compare mean total scores of the national progress test between four different universities a one-way ANOVA was conducted including a post-hoc analysis. Reflexive thematic analysis guidelines were applied to analyze the interview data. Results In total 82 first year students (44,6%) of cohort 2021–2022 and 36 teachers (60%) completed the questionnaire. Results show that the guiding principles were implemented as intended. Results of the national progress test on knowledge and clinical reasoning showed that students of the HAN University performed well compared to other universities. Thematic analysis of interviews and focus groups resulted in three themes and nine subthemes: 1) navigating a personalized curriculum, 2) caring and sharing, and 3) shaping professional identity. PACE contributed positively to students' intrinsic motivation, learning joy, identity development, and life-long learning skills. Areas for improvement were self-directed learning support, and teaching strategies to prompt deep learning. Conclusion The evaluation showed that the guiding principles of PACE were implemented as intended and that the innovation positively contributed to student learning, Health Professional Education Innovation Self-directed learning Physiotherapy Communities of Practice Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 17 Jan, 2025 Read the published version in BMC Medical Education → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 13 Sep, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 13 Sep, 2024 Submission checks completed at journal 13 Sep, 2024 First submitted to journal 01 Sep, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5014136","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":353649030,"identity":"44417ccf-3f47-4b1e-9049-00a607a5d422","order_by":0,"name":"Niki Stolwijk","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA3klEQVRIie3OOwrCQBCA4VkCY+OjFYR4hV22EAvxKlk8gZ2FxYiQygMoiGeIjWA3sKCN4AUstEmdA6QwJopdklJw/2a2mG9YAJfrF/MQ+DXbIEjRLH8LrkEkYE4uxXI5yXahINn1RViDDBpoGNLUx+6EppvdrT+AFpeS4RKZRSg1dg2p/SFWR2oHpUTaBrEgacJeRh4HKyJuymoC6Yds7bgGyT4G+CZ7sqYOCdiEWmP/QWp9spPIVpHrSSdJ6vud5jlWq7kdReeVupeRvKAYKPPhVe5/86qPu1wu11/2BLoqUsgg9upNAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"HAN University of Applied Sciences, Academy Allied Health Sciences","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Niki","middleName":"","lastName":"Stolwijk","suffix":""},{"id":353649033,"identity":"f212cff0-7d91-4d70-8514-6d9f36eda14e","order_by":1,"name":"Anne van Bergen","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"HAN University of Applied Sciences, Academy Allied Health Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Anne","middleName":"van","lastName":"Bergen","suffix":""},{"id":353649034,"identity":"2440d7cf-5f5d-4f3f-bbeb-3324de62b174","order_by":2,"name":"Evy Jetten","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"VieCuri Medical Centre","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Evy","middleName":"","lastName":"Jetten","suffix":""},{"id":353649035,"identity":"7d1f2c0b-a38f-4cfd-adcb-0c2dab75fb65","order_by":3,"name":"Marjo Maas","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"HAN University of Applied Sciences, Academy Allied Health Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Marjo","middleName":"","lastName":"Maas","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-09-01 18:48:55","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5014136/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5014136/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-06537-1","type":"published","date":"2025-01-17T15:56:55+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":74284598,"identity":"697c6579-58df-4c8b-8128-503be9c08a77","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-01-20 16:09:23","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":405594,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"StolwijkPACErevethics.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5014136/v1_covered_c639d13b-60b2-498f-bf1d-80f0e2345b35.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Preparing physiotherapists for the future: the development and evaluation of an innovative curriculum","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-medical-education","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"meed","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Medical Education](http://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/meed/default.aspx","title":"BMC Medical Education","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Health Professional Education, Innovation, Self-directed learning, Physiotherapy, Communities of Practice","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5014136/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5014136/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eEducational innovation in health professional education is needed to keep up with rapidly changing healthcare systems and societal needs. This study evaluates the implementation of PACE, an innovative curriculum designed by the physiotherapy department of the HAN University of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands. The PACE concept features an integrated approach to learning and assessment based on pre-set learning outcomes, personalized learning goals, flexible learning routes, and programmatic assessment. PACE distinguishes itself from traditional education because of the flexible learning routes, vertical organization in learning communities, absence of pre-defined learning activities and class schedules, and a culture of continuous learning and development. PACE is based on three guiding principles: 1) flexible and varied, 2) self-directed and collaborative, 3) future-oriented. PACE was implemented in 2021 for first-year students. This study evaluates the implementation to inform future curriculum development.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used to evaluate the implementation of PACE using a questionnaire, focus groups, in-depth interviews, and a national progress test allowing for benchmarking results. Participants were undergraduate physiotherapy students of cohort 2021\u0026ndash;2022, the first group who experienced PACE and teachers involved with this cohort. Questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. To compare mean total scores of the national progress test between four different universities a one-way ANOVA was conducted including a post-hoc analysis. Reflexive thematic analysis guidelines were applied to analyze the interview data.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn total 82 first year students (44,6%) of cohort 2021\u0026ndash;2022 and 36 teachers (60%) completed the questionnaire. Results show that the guiding principles were implemented as intended. Results of the national progress test on knowledge and clinical reasoning showed that students of the HAN University performed well compared to other universities. Thematic analysis of interviews and focus groups resulted in three themes and nine subthemes: 1) navigating a personalized curriculum, 2) caring and sharing, and 3) shaping professional identity. PACE contributed positively to students' intrinsic motivation, learning joy, identity development, and life-long learning skills. 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