Background/aims Intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence physiotherapists’ participation in continuing professional development. A number of benefits of and barriers to participation in continuing professional development are identified in the literature, but relatively little is known about factors that influence attitudes towards continued learning. The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing UK physiotherapists’ attitudes towards continuing professional development, with a focus on career point and type of employment, in the context of motivational theories. Methods An online questionnaire consisting of Likert-style questions was used to collect data from UK physiotherapists. Nominal and ordinal data were analysed to determine differences between subgroups within the dataset. Results A total of 205 physiotherapists completed the online questionnaire. Physiotherapists were generally internally motivated towards continuing professional development, but attitudes were influenced by career point and whether physiotherapists worked in the NHS or in the private sector. External factors appeared to have a negative effect on motivation towards continuing professional development. Conclusion: Differences in attitudes at different points on the career path suggest that organisational structure may impede lifelong learning at some stages in career progression, while differences between those working privately and for the NHS may potentially reflect organisational differences between these types of employment.
Background: Portfolios are widely used in undergraduate health professional education, however the majority of literature suggests that these are poorly received by students, in terms of being an effective learning tool. Objectives: to evaluate whether the aims/purpose or structure/level of standardisation/content of student portfolios influences their attitudes to and perceptions of its use as a learning tool. Major Findings: Aims/purpose and structure/level of standardisation/content of portfolios were analysed in relation to student responses in order to determine any relationship between these. The level of information provided in the studies was variable, making analysis difficult, however there appeared to be no clear link between any of these factors and student responses. The interplay of level of support and guidance, the time required for completion of the portfolio, and the role of assessment appear to have the greatest influence on student views. Conclusions: Considering the wide use of portfolios in health professional education, student support for these is limited, and further research is required to determine if alternative approaches to portfolio learning can positively influence student attitudes and perceptions.
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