Finding ways to support radiographers as teachers

Abstract

Introduction Teaching and supervision of medical imaging students are part of the role of many radiographers, yet they are frequently unsupported in the development of their role as a teacher. This study explores radiographers’ experiences and level of confidence in teaching and establishes the areas of support they require to be more effective in their clinical teaching role. Methods Sixty radiographers from across Australia completed an anonymous questionnaire, and nine radiographers participated in focus groups. Thematic analysis was conducted on the qualitative data, whilst quantitative data were analysed using one‐way ANOVA and reported as descriptive statistics. Results The findings demonstrate that radiographers were mostly confident in the domains of familiarising students to the practice environment, supervising students and assisting students to integrate into the practice environment, but were less confident in facilitating students’ learning. Radiographers have identified the teaching skills and attributes they currently possess and the areas in which they need further development. Conclusions This study calls for support for radiographers in their teaching role and provides guidance for education providers wanting to design education to support radiographers’ learning needs for teaching.

Clinical placement challenges associated with radiography education in a low-resource setting: A qualitative exploration of the Ethiopian landscape

“…Clinical educators play pivotal roles in students' clinical skill acquisition and overall learning experience. 30,31,32 It is therefore important that these professionals are fully included in the teaching and learning process through proper collaborative initiatives and partnerships to enhance the CP experience of students. In addition, the clinical educators could be equipped with clinical teaching and feedback skills through practice educator workshops and bespoke CPD activities and through certification programmes prior to official appointment as educators to ensure quality.…”

Investigating Confidence Levels of Saudi Clinical Supervisors in Radiology Departments

“…However, over the last three decades, there have been reports of clinical supervisors who experienced inadequate preparation of such teaching roles, including a lack of support for such an important duty. 1–3 …”

“…Confidence in their teaching ability is considered a key driver to engage and contribute to the student learning experience. 1 , 6 …”

“…In some cases, radiographers may be unwilling to supervise students, for example, due to heavy workloads or lack of confidence in their teaching ability. 1 For radiography students, effective teaching increases their overall achievements, participation, and self‐awareness. 1–3 , 5 …”

The needs and concerns of clinical educators in radiography education in the face of COVID-19 pandemic

“…38 Such constraint of time for clinical teaching including competing demands and other responsibilities were well-documented. 39 Since it was emphasised to all clinical educators at the onset that they had to jointly teach and meet service requirements, clinical educators were more prepared. Academic institutions had facilitated a clinical educator workshop prior to appointing clinical educators, fostering a sense of being a clinical educator through the talks, discussion and role-playing activities.…”